Dengue outbreak declared in Bohol

TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL, Philippines — The province of Bohol declared on Monday a province-wide dengue outbreak due to the rising cases of the mosquito-borne disease after cases had gone up to more than 450 percent since January.

Data from the Provincial Health Office showed that dengue cases from Jan. 1 to Aug. 24 reached 5,839, which were 451.4 percent higher compared to the 971 cases recorded over the same period last year.

Bohol Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado said a resolution would be forwarded to the Provincial Board so a state of calamity could be declared.

READ: Spike in dengue cases at outbreak levels – DO

Test kits

“It is serious because our dengue patients are increasing. In fact, according to our chiefs of hospitals, there are really many patients in the lobby since there is a problem with bed capacity at [the] hospitals,” he said.

Aumentado said there was an ample supply of dengue test kits and intravenous fluids that were already distributed in the 10 government-run hospitals of the province.

He directed the local governments to strictly implement local legislation on the enforcement of intensified dengue control measures and the reactivation of the Local Dengue Task Force and Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue.

He also required all local officials in the province to collaborate with various stakeholders for an affective dengue response.

The governor said the health officers and hospitals in the capital Tagbilaran City and the municipalities were directed to establish dengue fast lanes to facilitate faster accommodation of patients.

The local governments were also directed to allocate funds for the procurement of essential supplies and services needed for the prevention and control of dengue in their respective localities.

Dengue, according to the World Health Organization, is an infection caused by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

The infection triggers a severe flu-like illness often followed by a severe drop in an infected person’s platelet count.

Among other symptoms are severe headache, pain behind the eyes, full-body aches, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands or rashes.