Dengue fever in Soccsksargen: 17 dead, 4,631 ill

COTABATO CITY — The Department of Health (DOH) in Soccsksargen (Region 12) has reported 17 deaths due to dengue fever from January to April 20.

Jenny Panizales, speaking for the dengue prevention campaign of the regional DOH, said 4,631 patients were hospitalized in the same period.

Panizales said the number of dengue patients was 159 percent higher as compared to the same period last year.

The Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (Resu) of the DOH noted that the provinces of Cotabato and South Cotabato had the highest number of fatalities due to dengue, at seven each. Sarangani had three fatalities.

Panizales said the number of deaths recorded so far was alarming because the DOH listed only five fatalities during the same period last year.

She said no death was reported this year in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos and Cotabato.

Hot spots

Panizales, citing the Resu report, said Cotabato province also had the highest number of dengue patients at 1,613, followed by South Cotabato with 1,421.

The Resu also identified Barangay Malalag in Maitum town, Sarangani; Barangay Sto. Niño in Koronadal City; and Barangay Dumadalig in Tantangan, South Cotabato, as dengue hot spots.

Panizales said they would continue to provide intervention programs, even to mountain villages in the region, in order to contain the dengue upsurge. —EDWIN FERNANDEZ