Dengue cases down in July

DENGUE cases in Cebu City went down in July to 195 cases compared to 358 cases in June this year.

But Dr. Alma Corpin, head of the City Health Office’s field programs division, said the decrease last month was not enough reason to lift the outbreak status which Mayor Michael Rama declared on July 24.

“The dengue outbreak status remains because we still expect a rise in dengue cases because of the rainy season,” said Corpin.

City health officials are working closely with barangay health workers in a campaign for dengue prevention and early detection.

The City Council approved last Wednesday a resolution declaring a state of calamity preparedness in at least 25 barangays with the most number of dengue cases.

Identified barangays were Kalubihan, Cogon Ramos, Bacayan, Sto. Nino, Pahina San Nicolas, Sambag 1, Zapatera, San Nicolas Proper, Pasil, Kamputhaw, Pit-os, sta. Cruz, Kamagayan, Ermita, Pahina Central, Tinago, San Antonio, Sapangdaku, Suba, Inayawan, Capitol Site, Guadalupe, Mabolo, T. Padilla and Lahug.

With the declaration, the council appropriated P5 million for a calamity preparedness response.

Cebu City tops the number of dengue cases in the Central Visayas.

Health officials have warned of new strains of dengue fever which are carried by night biting mosquitos.

Traditionally, the dengue virus is carried by the day-biting Aedes aegypti mosquito.