Dengue watch

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The Department of Health reported a decline in the number of dengue cases from January to April this year compared to the same period last year.

In Negros Oriental, the DOH reported a 33 percent increase in the number of dengue cases for the same period over last year’s figures, with Dumaguete City having the highest number.

The increase of dengue cases in the previous year may be attributed to the constantly changing climate brought by global warming as well as congestion in urban areas.

A DOH report showed that Central Luzon accounted for 33.07 percent of the cases, followed by the National Capital Region at 21.42 percent and the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguan, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) at 16.39. Majority of the cases were male. At least 39 percent of the cases involved children aged one to 10 years old.

However, in Zamboanga City dengue cases reached an alarming level but not outbreak level.

Health officials in Negros Oriental are anticipating an increase of dengue cases in the coming months due to the arrival of the rainy season.

Our communities can adopt the strategy called source reduction to initiate dengue clean-up in their area by searching for and destroying breeding places of the carrier mosquitoes.

We must all help in the campaign to prevent and control dengue and support the stepped up advocacy drive against it to ensure of a dengue free community.*