Calbayog City alarmed over rise in dengue cases

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE
July 25, 2010

CATBALOGAN CITY  –  Alarmed at the high number of dengue fever cases, Calbayog City Mayor Reynaldo Uy through his Memorandum Circular 002 ordered the 157 barangays for a clean up drive to avert the situation.

According to City Health Officer Dr. Sylvia de Guzman, the dengue cases started with 8 cases which rose to 21 the following week.

De Guzman added that of these cases four dies coming from Brgy. East Awang, Begaho Tinambacan Norte, and Malopalo.

Dr. de Guzman noted that most victims are children and that in the whole Region 8, Calbayog is number five with the highest number of dengue cases.

Recently, Calbayognons made a clean-up drive in their barangays as part of the ‘Iwas Dengue’ campaign.

During the weekly LGU press conference, City Population Officer and Tri-District Development Program Office (3D) focal person Ruben Adona explained that everyone will be mobilized to ensure that dengue-causing-mosquitoes will not transfer to other barangays whose folks are not cleaning.

“Let us not wait for the health people to declare an outbreak,” Adona stressed.

Since January of this year a total of 288 suspected dengue cases have been reported with the 4 deaths.

Grace Campo, surveillance nurse of the city health office (CHO) said that it is possible that there are more cases as she can only record those hospitalized on the four hospitals in the city. Campo suspects that other dengue patients may still be in hospitals in Tacloban City.

Presently some 60 of the 157 barangays have been affected by the tragic dengue illness. Brgy. Matobato has posted the highest number of cases with 30, followed by Dagum 18, Oquendo Poblacion 17, Tinambacan Sur 16, Balud 11, Capoocan ug East Awang 10.

The different barangay and schools are enjoined to clean their homes, schools, surroundings, check for stagnant water and dispose and clean the canals.