Dengue cases drops in the Cordillera

THE DEPARTMENT of Health in the Cordillera noted a 78 percent decrease of dengue cases in the region.

From the 8,311 cases recorded last year, dengue cases went down to 1,852 this year with four deaths compared to 21 in 2016.

Kalinga recorded the highest number of dengue cases with 375 cases followed by Ifugao with 346, Benguet (300), Baguio City (225), Apayao (131) and 34 cases in Mountain Province.

Baguio City recorded three deaths of the four with one coming from Mountain Province.

DOH said males were predominantly affected with 56.7 percent ranging from three to 92 years old.

Entomologist Ursula Segundo of

Department of Health-Cordillera said the decrease was supported by the logistics of the health office to augment needs of local government units using insecticide treated curtains and drum net covers.

With the alarming number of dengue cases in 2016, DOHCAR launched a dengue awareness campaign in every province including Baguio City.

Local officials worked on the ‘action barangay kontra dengue’ which leads to the search and elimination of mosquito breeding sites.

Segundo added source of elimination is the cornerstone of basic dengue prevention adding the DOH are also having interventions for dengue by providing drum net covers in the community.

“Karamihan kasi ng breeding site ng lamok ay doon sa drums and in Baguio City last June they launched the Juan Tireless Day kasi gusto nilang alisin iyong mga tires na nagkalat diyan because we would like to eliminate these major breeding sites of aedis mosquitos,” Segundo explained.

Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main vector which transmits the viruses that cause dengue disease. The number of dengue cases peak during the rainy season and may reach to widespread proportion if preventive measures of control are not taken, according to the DOH. Lauren Alimondo