Suspected dengue cases down

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH) has recorded 682 suspected dengue cases in the region for the first two months of the year.

Engr. Antonette Ebol, DOH regional program manager for dengue prevention and control program, told reporters during

a press conference that this year’s total number of suspected dengue cases is 57.8% lower compared to the same period last year, in which 1, 617 cases with four deaths were recorded.

According to the DOH, “suspected cases are persons with fever of two to seven days duration plus two of the following: headache, body malaise (bodily weakness or discomfort), myalgia (muscle pain), arthralgia (join pain), retro-orbital pain ( pain behind or in the eye), anorexia (lost of appetite), vomiting, diarrhea, flushed skin, and rash.”

Of these 682 suspected cases recorded from Jan. 1 to Feb. 29, 2020, three deaths were confirmed in the whole region: two from Davao City and one from Davao Oriental.

Davao City has the most number of cases with 337.

Davao de Oro (previously Compostela Valley) and Davao del Norte have both more than 100 cases – 113 and 112, respectively.

Davao Oriental has 92, Davao del Sur with 24, and Davao Occidental with four.

Data from DOH also bared that the top three districts in the city with reported dengue cases include Buhangin with 49 cases, Talomo North with 45 cases and Agdao with 37 cases.

Ebol said that they have prepared programs for dengue prevention.

Starting this week, she said they will be conducting orientations to schools and provide them with insecticide treated curtains. They have expanded their program to national high schools in the city and the provinces, especially to those considered hotspots communities.

“We have given all the elementary schools in the city and provinces orientations regarding dengue prevention. It can be recalled that we have been giving them insecticide treated screens during the previous years,” she said, adding that most of recorded dengue affected individuals these days are high school students.

She also said that through a school campaign, they will be able to orient and educate students on how to prevent the dengue disease. This has been a part of their program to maintain the low number of dengue cases in the region.

“A regional consultative meeting was held attended by the mosquito-borne disease coordinator from all over the region. We will be giving updates to them and at the same time talk about how to maintain the low number of dengue cases in the city,” she said.