Dengue cases in CL up by 12%

by: Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga July 3 (PIA) -- Department of Health-Center for Health Development 3 (DOH-CHD 3) recorded a 12-percent surge in dengue cases in Central Luzon from January to June 30 this year compared to the same period last year.

Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit chief Jesse Fantone disclosed in a press conference in Pampanga last Monday that Central Luzon placed second to National Capital Region with the highest cases in the entire archipelago at 6,241.

Of the seven provinces, Nueva Ecija has the most number of cases at 1,785 followed by Bulacan with 1,745, Pampanga- 1,167, Bataan- 677, Tarlac-488, Zambales-348 and Aurora- 31.

Fantone added that Dengue deaths in Region 3 totaled to 11 during the period with Nueva Ecija registering the most at five followed by Pampanga with three, and Bataan, Bulacan and Tarlac with one each.

As the number of cases continues to rise, DOH-CHD 3 urges the public to conduct clean-up drives in their respective communities and destroy all possible breeding sites of mosquitoes such as old tires and tin cans.

The agency emphasized the importance of cleaning not only the homes and schools but also places like churches and markets as well as the streets and public playgrounds as you cannot pinpoint where one gets bitten by a dengue-carrying mosquito.

Dengue is a disease caused by the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquito.

These mosquitoes bite during daytime. Headache, fever, muscle and joint pains and skin rashes characterize the disease. In extreme cases, bleeding of the gums and nose may occur. (WLB/CLJD-PIA 3)