Blood donors needed as dengue cases rise in Rizal

The Rizal provincial government has urged residents to donate blood after the regional office of the Department of Health noted a surge in dengue cases in the area.

“Every barangay (village) official is encouraged to come up with a certain number of blood donors. In return, donors [will receive] one to two kilos of rice,” Rizal Governor Jun Ynares said in a phone interview.

The incentive, he said, was aimed at ensuring an adequate supply of blood after an “unusually high” number of dengue cases were recorded in the province from January to the first week of August.

Through a project called “Sagip-Buhay,” the local government, the provincial health office and the Philippine Red Cross started going around towns on Friday to accept blood donations.

Ynares said the Center for Health and Development (CHD) in Region IV-A had reported that the number of dengue cases in Rizal province from January until the first week of August reached 1,777.

Antipolo City posted the highest number of cases with 477, followed by Cainta with 286 and Binangonan and Rodriguez with 225 cases each.

To date, there have been nine dengue-related deaths.

“We have not yet declared a dengue hotspot in Rizal because there is still no clustering of cases. But we are closely monitoring areas in Antipolo and Cainta,” Dr. Iluminado Victoria, provincial health officer, said.