LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN — Dengue fever has killed eight people in six Pangasinan towns and cities in the last six months, according to a report from the provincial health office (PHO).
The fatalities came from the towns of Anda, Binmaley, Asingan and Pozorrubio, and San Carlos and Urdaneta cities.
From January to July 9, the PHO had recorded 1,942 cases, 93.43 percent higher than the number of cases in the same period last year.
Health officials said they were alarmed by the sudden rise of the cases from 209 to 529.
Most patients treated were children aged 5 to 19. The youngest patient was a 2-month-old boy while the oldest was an 86-year-old woman.
The PHO said it had placed 10 towns and cities under its watch list due to the increasing number of dengue cases in the areas.
These are the cities of Urdaneta, which has 189 cases; Alaminos, 129; and San Carlos, 115; and the towns of Binmaley, 103; Lingayen, 101; Bayambang, 96; Asingan, 89; Mangaldan, 87; Pozorrubio, 82; and Binalonan, 60.
State of calamity
In Ilocos Norte province, Dingras town has been placed under a state of calamity due to the rise in dengue cases.
Mayor Erdio Valenzuela said health officials were monitoring 66 suspected cases of dengue fever since the onset of the rainy season.
A child from the flood-prone Barangay San Marcelino died recently due to the disease transmitted by mosquitoes.
At present, the town is conducting fumigation operations to prevent the spread of the disease. The state of calamity allowed the town government to access funds and release from P3,000 to P5,000 in financial assistance to the patients.— REPORTS FROM GABRIEL CARDINOZA AND LEILANIE ADRIANO