DENGUE CASES. Dengue cases in Iloilo province from Jan.1 to June 1 reached 1,047, according to the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO). IPHO chief Dr. Maria Socorro Quiñon said Friday (June 7, 2024) that the town of Badiangan has mobilized the community to arrest the dengue outbreak after the death of two patients. (Graphics from IPHO)
ILOILO CITY – The municipality of Badiangan in Iloilo province has mobilized the community to arrest the further spread of dengue fever after the death of two patients in Barangay Odiongan.
Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) chief Maria Socorro Quiñon said Barangay Odiongan has reached the epidemic threshold, with 12 cases from Jan. 1 to June 1, with the two deaths recorded only last month.
The first death, a 15-year-old boy, was recorded on May 21, while the latest was a 21-year-old man.
“We have not received the death certificate of the second, but most likely, it's dengue,” she said on Friday.
Quiñon said the barangay went on a massive cleanup, indoor spraying, and intensive advocacy after the first death.
“We know that the incubation period of dengue is 3 to 14 days, and probably during that time, during the cleanup, the patient was already in the incubation stage,” she added.
Quiñon urged the cooperation of the residents in observing the 4S strategy, particularly the conduct of indoor residual spraying and self-protection by wearing long sleeves and long pants and avoiding clothing that exposes parts of the body, such as shorts.
She also urged residents to immediately seek consultation at their municipal rural health center and sustain the cleanup campaign.
The province reported 1,047 dengue cases from Jan. 1 to June 1, a 70 percent increase compared with the 616 cases in the same period last year.
Data from the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit showed that all 43 local government units (LGUs) in the province have cases, with Zarraga having the lowest with one, and Lambunao the highest with 75.
Except for the towns of Ajuy, Barotac Viejo, Barotac Nuevo, Alimodian, Pototan, and Zarraga, which recorded a decline in cases compared with last year, all the remaining LGUs posted an increase in cases. (PNA)
