FESTIVAL CROWD. Residents visit the fair booths at the Freedom Park in Dumaguete City during the Buglasan Festival. Health authorities have been reminding the public to take precautionary health measures amid rising cases of dengue in the province. (Photo from the Provincial Government of Negros Oriental's Facebook page)
DUMAGUETE CITY – Negros Oriental reported its 9th dengue death this year as cases continue to rise in the province, a health official said Wednesday.
Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion said the increase in dengue cases is also due to the rainy season, the resumption of face-to-face classes, and the easing of Covid-19 quarantine restrictions.
“I am reiterating my appeal to the people to be mindful of their surroundings and activities and undertake anti-dengue measures especially as we are now more exposed to one another compared to a more secluded life during the previous years at the height of the pandemic,” she said in mixed English and Cebuano.
Records at the PHO showed that from Jan. 1 to Oct. 22, the province logged 1,867 dengue cases with nine deaths compared to the 637 cases and zero deaths during the same period last year.
“This is 193 percent higher than last year’s figures and we are still expecting the cases to rise until the end of the year,” Estacion said.
Cities and municipalities with the highest number of dengue cases are Canlaon City with 278; Dumaguete City, 212; Guihulngan City, 177; La Libertad, 173; Bayawan City, 171; Sibulan, 92; Bais City, 83; Siaton 71; Sta. Catalina, 69; and Valencia, 64.
The latest death is a one-year-old girl from Barangay Mantuyop, Siaton who died last Oct. 19 at the town's rural health center.
The other dengue mortalities were reported in Guihulngan City (two); Bayawan City (two); Basay, Dumaguete City, Sta. Catalina, and Tanjay City (one each). (PNA)
