Bohol dengue situation still ‘manageable’

TAGBILARAN CITY – The officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) said Friday the dengue situation in the province remains under control despite 10 patients reportedly dying from the disease since the start of the year.

In a media forum, Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez, the OIC of the PHO said despite the number of deaths, the situation was still manageable.

Lopez said the situation is far from critical and that there is a need to declare a dengue outbreak.

In the past few days, dengue cases admitted in hospitals especially in the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital, have risen considerably.

According to the report by the PHO to the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU), there are 1,276 dengue cases recorded in Bohol.

The same report said at least one death was recorded in the towns of Talibon, Ubay, Carmen, Loon, Clarin, Buenavista, Calape, Sierra Bullones, and Alburquerque.

There is also a patient who died from dengue in Tagbilaran, the same report said.

Lopez said the figure is 49.41 percent higher than during the same period last year, when there were 854 cases with four deaths.

In terms of cases recorded, Tagbilaran leads all local government units in Bohol with 148. Trinidad town is second with 116 , Talibon third with 68, and Dauis is fourth with 66 and President Carlos P. Garcia at fifth with 60.

Lopez urged Boholanos to take necessary steps in preventing the mosquitoes from breeding and increasing the risk of dengue infection.

Furthermore, Gov. Edgar Chatto ordered all local government unit and barangay officials to intensify the information campaign on the elimination of the breeding places of mosquitoes.