Ilocos Norte town under state of calamity due to dengue cases

LAOAG CITY—Officials of Dingras town in Ilocos Norte have placed their rice producing municipality under a state of calamity due to the rise in dengue cases there.

Mayor Erdio Valenzuela on Wednesday said health officials are monitoring 66 suspected cases of dengue fever since the onset of the rainy season. A child from the flood-prone village of San Marcelino died recently due to the disease transmitted by mosquitoes.

“It was already too late when they brought the child to the hospital,” the mayor said.

The town is currently carrying out fumigation operations to prevent the spread of the disease.

“We have mobilized our village officials and barangay health workers to spearhead the cleanliness drive. Our Municipal Health Unit is also on top of the situation to arrest this problem,” said Valenzuela.

The state of calamity allowed the government to access funds, enabling the release of P3,000 to P5,000 in financial assistance to the patients.

Over the past two years, Ilocos Norte had maintained a zero casualty rate for dengue until late in June when dengue virus killed two patients, said Dr. Josephine Rueda, provincial Health Officer. The casualties were recorded in the towns of Dingras and Solsona. /je