The number of dengue cases in Cavite province remains on a steady rise since health officials declared an outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease last week.
Dr. George Repique, provincial health officer, said 3,904 dengue cases had been recorded so far from January to Sept. 12, but added that the number might still increase. The health office listed 16 fatalities among the cases.
“Even the number of deaths [may also rise],” Repique said by telephone on Thursday.
He said his office was confirming the actual number of fatalities, which the regional health office would release soon.
Public hospitals do not have enough health personnel to attend to patients, Repique said, even as more people were showing signs of infection.
At the provincial hospital in Trece Martires City alone, 79 people had been admitted in the last four days.
On Sept. 18, government officials placed Cavite under a state of calamity after the provincial health office recorded a 200-percent increase in the number of dengue cases from last year’s 1,120.
They identified at least four cities—Dasmariñas, Trece Martires, Bacoor and Imus—and General Trias town with the highest number of cases. In Dasmariñas alone, more than 700 cases have been reported.
Gov. Juanito Victor Remulla on Wednesday ordered a massive cleanup in all cities and towns, using fogging and misting pesticides from the Department of Health (DOH), to stop dengue-carrying mosquitoes from breeding.
“We advise households to keep their surroundings clean and avoid keeping stagnant water where the mosquitoes breed,” Repique said.
The province also sought help from the Philippine Red Cross for more health workers.
In Bicol, health officials reported a decline in dengue cases but recorded three fatalities from January to Sept. 5.
Data from the DOH Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (Resu) showed 895 patients were diagnosed with dengue in the region, indicating an 8-percent decline compared to the 969 recorded over the same period last year.
But dengue cases rose in the provinces of Masbate, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, said Dr. Aurora Daluro, Resu chief. She, however, said the increase had not reached an alarming level.
Daluro asked the public not to be complacent as dengue cases could still rise amid the El Niño-induced dry spell, when people tend to store water in pails or drums that may become breeding areas of mosquitoes.