The Aedes aegypti mosquito. (PNA file photo)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Two municipalities in South Cotabato province are planning to declare state of calamity due to the rising cases of the deadly dengue fever these past months.
Dr. Rogelio Aturdido Jr., head of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), said Tuesday the municipal councils of Surallah and Tantangan are currently studying the move based on recommendations from their health offices.
He said Surallah and Tantangan posted the second and third highest incidence of dengue among the province’s 10 towns and lone city from January to June this year.
As of June 29, the IPHO’s epidemiology and surveillance unit already recorded a total of 2,766 dengue cases and 16 confirmed deaths in the province.
This figure is 128.4 percent higher compared to the 1,200 cases reported in the same period last year.
Koronadal City posted the most number of cases with 507, followed by Surallah with 342, Tantangan with 336, Banga with 291, Tupi with 260, Polomolok with 249, Norala with 239, Tampakan with 163, Tboli with 159, Sto. Niño with 141, and Lake Sebu with 79.
Three of the fatalities were from Surallah, two each from T`boli, Sto. Niño, Polomolok, Banga, and Koronadal City, and one each from Norala, Tampakan and Tupi.
The IPHO report said 11 of the 16 victims were aged 21 to 73 years old.
Aturdido said the increase in dengue cases this year is mainly due to the erratic weather condition brought by climate change.
“This is already the trend nationwide every three years,” he said in a radio interview.
The official said most of the dengue cases were recorded in populated barangays, specifically in Poblacion as in the case of Surallah.
In Tantangan, he said the most affected communities are located in Barangays Poblacion, Dumadalig, and San Felipe.
“We requested four more affected municipalities to also work on possible calamity declarations,” he said.
Aturdido cited the towns of Norala, Banga, Tampakan and Sto. Niño.
He said they will later recommend the declaration of the entire province under the state of calamity, if necessary.
Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which breeds in artificial or natural water containers. (PNA)
