Eastern Visayas region has recorded 1,692 cases from January to the second week of July this year, lower by 45 percent than last year, the Department of Health (DOH) regional office here reported on Monday. This year’s dengue cases are fewer than the 3,064 recorded in the same period in 2022, Leonido Olobia, DOH Eastern Visayas regional dengue program manager said. Of the total cases this year, 10 died and 1,567 were hospitalized as victims suffered sudden high fever, severe headache, pain, rashes, and bleeding. More than 700 cases are in Leyte province, according to DOH. ‘This (decrease in the number of infections) is a result of early fogging operations as advised by DOH to local authorities. There has been aggressive search and destroy activities in areas with cluster of cases,’ Olobia told in an interview. He said those initiatives have reduced the number of cases contrary to the trend seen in January 2023 where 210 dengue cases were recorded or 19 percent higher than in the previous year ‘In the past, the number of cases reduced every two years. In recent years, there’s no more established pattern of cases due to changing weather, but we are happy to see that there is a reduction this year,’ Olobia added. The health department reminded the public to carry out dengue prevention through the “4S” strategy, especially since the rainy season has started. The “4S” strategy includes search and destroy mosquito breeding places, seeking early consultation, self-protection methods, and support fogging/spraying only in hot spot areas, where an increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an outbreak. The health department also asked city and town mayors to regularly organize cleanup campaigns focusing on the destruction of mosquito-breeding places in their areas.
Source: Philippines News Agency
