LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Ten towns in this province have been placed on the watchlist for dengue due to increased number of cases.
This was disclosed by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa de Guzman, who called on the public to take the necessary precautionary measures as dengue continues to wreak havoc in the province.
The PHO registered 5,010 cases of dengue from January 1 to December 18 this year or an increase of 27 percent from 3,952 cases registered for the same period last year.
Placed on the watchlist due to their high number of dengue cases were Bayambang, 494; San Carlos City, 378; Malasiqui, 301; Urdaneta City, 289; Lingayen, 270; Bugallon, 205; Binmaley, 177; Sta. Barbara, 167; Pozorrubio, 148; and Calasiao, 145.
De Guzman earlier assured that no children enrolled in public schools in Pangasinan were vaccinated with the controversial Dengvaxia as no such vaccine was ever sent to the province by the Department of Health.
She said, however, the Dengvaxia may have been administered by doctors in private clinics who purchased this kind of vaccine from the manufacturer.
She said her office is now tracing those who may have been administered the vaccine to help them in case there is negative reaction of the vaccine on their bodies.
Meanwhile, the PHO confirmed that diarrhea is another big concern in Pangasinan as 43 persons already died from this as of December 18 this year.
PHO already recorded 9,150 cases of diarrhea from January 1 this year and most of those afflicted are in the age group of five months to four years old.
In the diarrhea watchlist are: San Carlos City, 850; Calasiao, 623; Bayambang, 599; Malasiqui, 548; Sta. Barbara, 402; Lingayen, 401, Bolinao, 367, Mangaldan, 361; Pozorrubio, 324 and Binmaley, 319. (Leonardo Micua/PNA)
