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Zamboanga City declares dengue fever outbreak, moves to prevent cases
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Officials have declared a dengue fever outbreak with the increase in number of people being afflicted by the mosquito-borne disease.
August has not even ended yet but figures from the city health office showed that 314 dengue fever cases have been registered since the start of the month.
The declaration of an outbreak was made Tuesday by Mayor Celso Lobregat after a series of emergency meetings with health officials.
"Historical data showed that last July we were on alert level, this August we have touched the outbreak level and based on frequency of cases, we are declaring a dengue outbreak," Lobregat said.
The city health office said 20 patients in this city have died of the disease since January.
Dr. Rodelin Agbulos, city health officer, said from January to August 24, a total of 1,584 dengue cases had been reported.
He said half of the city’s 20 villages were responsible for the surge in dengue cases.
Lobregat said the city government has decided to resort to fumigation to control the spread of the disease.
"We need to fumigate some areas……we know that the Department of Health discourages the use of fumigation in fighting dengue but fogging can be used if we reached an outbreak level, so we are now preparing chemicals for the fumigation," he said.
Lobregat said the fogging activities would be coupled with massive cleanup drive in the villages.
In the whole Central Mindanao region, 34 people had died of dengue since the start of the year but officials said the figure has not reached an alarming level yet.
Speaking to reporters in Cotabato City, DOH 12 director Abdullah Dumama, said region-wide, 6,449 persons – mostly children - had fallen ill since January in the provinces of north and south Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and in the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal and General Santos.
“Our total recorded cases of dengue have increased compared to the same period last year but we consider the dengue fatality rate (this year) as still acceptable,” Dumama said.
He said there has been one death for every 200 patients, which only translated to a 0.53 percent fatality rate.
North Cotabato topped with 14 deaths, followed by Sarangani, 7; Gen. Santos City, 5; South Cotabato, 4; Sultan Kudarat, 3. Only one dengue patient died in Cotabato City during the said period.
Dumama said health workers have been conducting dialogues with residents on how to clean up their surroundings to prevent the breeding of dengue-causing mosquitoes.
Other preventive measures have been undertaken by providing public schools, situated in so-called endemic areas, with anti-mosquito-treated curtains, he said.
Parents were also advised to ensure that their school children were protected by insect repellent lotion and enjoin them to wear long pants and long sleeved-shirts when possible.ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Officials have declared a dengue fever outbreak with the increase in number of people being afflicted by the mosquito-borne disease.
August has not even ended yet but figures from the city health office showed that 314 dengue fever cases have been registered since the start of the month.
The declaration of an outbreak was made Tuesday by Mayor Celso Lobregat after a series of emergency meetings with health officials.
"Historical data showed that last July we were on alert level, this August we have touched the outbreak level and based on frequency of cases, we are declaring a dengue outbreak," Lobregat said.
The city health office said 20 patients in this city have died of the disease since January.
Dr. Rodelin Agbulos, city health officer, said from January to August 24, a total of 1,584 dengue cases had been reported.
He said half of the city’s 20 villages were responsible for the surge in dengue cases.
Lobregat said the city government has decided to resort to fumigation to control the spread of the disease.
"We need to fumigate some areas……we know that the Department of Health discourages the use of fumigation in fighting dengue but fogging can be used if we reached an outbreak level, so we are now preparing chemicals for the fumigation," he said.
Lobregat said the fogging activities would be coupled with massive cleanup drive in the villages.
In the whole Central Mindanao region, 34 people had died of dengue since the start of the year but officials said the figure has not reached an alarming level yet.
Speaking to reporters in Cotabato City, DOH 12 director Abdullah Dumama, said region-wide, 6,449 persons – mostly children - had fallen ill since January in the provinces of north and south Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and in the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal and General Santos.
“Our total recorded cases of dengue have increased compared to the same period last year but we consider the dengue fatality rate (this year) as still acceptable,” Dumama said.
He said there has been one death for every 200 patients, which only translated to a 0.53 percent fatality rate.
North Cotabato topped with 14 deaths, followed by Sarangani, 7; Gen. Santos City, 5; South Cotabato, 4; Sultan Kudarat, 3. Only one dengue patient died in Cotabato City during the said period.
Dumama said health workers have been conducting dialogues with residents on how to clean up their surroundings to prevent the breeding of dengue-causing mosquitoes.
Other preventive measures have been undertaken by providing public schools, situated in so-called endemic areas, with anti-mosquito-treated curtains, he said.
Parents were also advised to ensure that their school children were protected by insect repellent lotion and enjoin them to wear long pants and long sleeved-shirts when possible.
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