Negros Occidental tops Western Visayas in dengue cases

BACOLOD CITY—Hinigaran town in Negros Occidental has hit the epidemic threshold for dengue.

Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said on Monday, June 6, that they would start fogging operations in Hinigaran and ensuring that clean-up drives are conducted.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported that Negros Occidental had 105 new dengue cases, raising its increase by 357 percent this year compared to 2021.

The latest DOH report said Negros Occidental had 800 dengue cases and five deaths from January 1 to May 28, making it the topnotcher in Western Visayas.

The region has 297 new dengue cases, bringing its total to 2,065 this year, an increase of 149 percent compared to last year.

Negros Occidental has also had 20 dengue deaths this year, the DOH added.

Bacolod’s total dengue cases remained at 139, or a 70-percent increase from last year, with four deaths, the DOH said.

The second area in Western Visayas with the highest dengue cases is Antique, with 105 new patients, for a total of 518 this year, or an increase of 216 percent.

It is followed by Iloilo province with 330 cases or an increase of 116 percent as of May 28 compared to 2021.

The 2022 dengue cases in Capiz were 118, Iloilo City – 75, Aklan – 63, and Guimaras – 22, the DOH said.

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the Negros Occidental government had allocated funds for its dengue preventive measures as early as January.

He said he had reminded Tumimbang that preventive measures should have been in place at the onset of the rainy season.

Larvicide should have been distributed to local governments for application in possible breeding areas of mosquitoes, which are dengue carriers, Diaz added.

Larvicide kills mosquito larvae before they grow into adults.

Tumimbang said larvicide had been distributed to areas with a high clustering of dengue cases.

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