TACLOBAN CITY — A state of health emergency has been declared in Baybay City on Tuesday as dengue fever killed three children and infected 170 others this year.
The Department of Health said the increasing number of cases is alarming in Baybay, especially in the villages of Zone 5, Pomponan, Hipusngo, and San Isidro.
“The city government declared the health emergency to prevent the spread of this mosquito-borne disease and possible outbreak by mobilizing all resources,” DOH regional information officer John Paul Roca said in a mobile phone interview Wednesday.
Report from the city health office said at least two four-year-old children died in Baybay early this month. Last April, a six-year-old child succumbed to dengue.
Baybay, a city of more than 109,000 is about 107 kilometers south of Tacloban, the regional capital.
Last month, an outbreak was also declared in Salcedo, Eastern Samar as dengue fever killed two children and downed 67 others.
Roca said the entire Eastern Visayas has reported a total of 1,947 cases with 16 deaths from January to this week, which is 21 percent lower compared to last year.
Dengue fever is marked by an onset of sudden high fever, severe headache, and pain behind the eyes, muscles and joints. Some may develop rashes and varying degree of bleeding from various parts of the body.
Since most victims are schoolchildren, the major strategy to combat dengue is to conduct prevention campaign with the Department of Education, parents, and community leaders. This is on top of providing logistics to local health workers.
Other strategies of the health department to combat rising cases are intensified mosquito control efforts, coordination with local government units in information drive, conduct of fogging and spreading larvicide in areas with clustering of cases, installation dengue express lanes in hospitals, and purchase and preposition of fluids. (Sarwell Meniano/PNA)
