ZAMBOANGA CITY – The city government has declared a dengue outbreak after a sharp increase in the number of people affected by the mosquito-borne disease was recorded.

The city health office listed 406 dengue cases, with two deaths, from January to March 11.

Mayor Celso Lobregat said before a local health summit here on Tuesday that the declaration was made upon the recommendation of city health officer Dr. Rodelin Agbulos.

“We are declaring (a) dengue fever outbreak in Zamboanga City and we have directed the City Health Office (CHO) to source out contingency budget for fumigation, which is about P300,000,” Lobregat said.

He called on village officials and residents to band together to fight the menace.

“Barangay officials and the committee on health have to be very active because this campaign cannot be done by the City Health office alone or even efforts from City Hall or city government officials, we need all the support from everyone,” Lobregat said.

Among the immediate measures taken was a citywide cleanup drive.

Dengue-carrying mosquitoes lay their eggs on clean stagnant waters.

Agbulos said the cleanup drive would target villages where incidents of dengue was exceptionally high, such as Canelar, Sta. Maria, Tumaga, Talon-talon, Santa Catalina and Tetuan.

Agbulos noted a sharp increase in the number of dengue cases reported to the CHO during the past weeks.

He said that in 2007, only 90 cases were monitored from January to March 5 compared to the 386 cases recorded during the same period this year. “It’s alarming [but] we are trying to do everything to control (the spread of the disease),” he said.

The declaration of an outbreak was the second for the city since 2005, when dengue cases shot up to 610 over a six-month period.