West Visayas dengue cases drop by 64%

The Department of Health in Western Visayas reported on Thursday that the number of dengue cases in Western Visayas has dropped by 64 percent. (Photo By Muhammad Mahdi Karim – Own work, GFDL 1.2)

ILOILO CITY –The Department of Health in Western Visayas reported on Thursday that the number of dengue cases in Western Visayas has dropped by 64 percent.

Reynilyn Reyes, head of the family, health and nutrition cluster of DOH-6, said that from January 1 to November 26 this year, a total of 9,279 dengue cases were recorded in the region with less than 70 deaths.

She said the number is lower by 64 percent or 16,182 lesser compared with the 25,461 dengue patients recorded in the same period in 2016.

This year, Negros Occidental has the highest number of patients in the region with 3,829, while the island province of Guimaras has the least number of cases with 37.

Reyes said they have earlier observed that dengue cases in the region have been increasing every three years.

She recalled that there has been a surge in dengue cases in 2010, 2013, and 2016.

“Since the cases have decreased this year, we are predicting a decrease in dengue cases in 2018,” she added.

However, health authorities will be strictly monitoring the number of cases on 2019 due to the three-year trend, Reyes said.

She said despite thebdrop in the number of dengue patients this year, health authorities are not complacent.

The DOH is continuously strengthening its coordination with the local health units and local government units in the region to further minimize the number of dengue cases.

Residents also urged to continue to practice the DOH’s 4S strategy which stands for “search and destroy breeding areas, self-protective measures, seek early consultation, and say no to indiscriminate fogging” to avoid the mosquito-borne disease.