Negros Occidental’s dengue fever cases rise 717% in first half of 2013

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines—Negros Occidental recorded more dengue fever cases and deaths from January to June 22 this year compared to the same period in 2012, local health authorities said. Fourteen have died of dengue fever in the province, much more than last year’s three.

Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Negros Occidental provincial health officer, said that four of the fatalities were residents of Bacolod City.

The 10 others who succumbed to dengue fever were from Talisay City and Murcia town (two each) and Victorias, Silay, Bago, Himamaylan  and Sagay City cities, and Calatrava town (one each).

Negros Occidental has recorded 2,511 dengue fever cases for the same period in 2013, 717 percent higher than the 307 cases reported in the same period in 2012.

Talisay City had the highest number of dengue fever cases at 277, followed by Victorias (226), Silay (218), Bago (206), Kabankalan (164), San Carlos (136), Himamaylan (124), Isabela (118) Binalbagan (116) and La Carlota (97).

The rest of the dengue fever cases were registered by Murcia (96), Escalante City (88), E.B. Magalona (82), Manapla (70), Hinigaran (51), La Castellana (47), Calatrava (44), Ilog (36), Pontevedra (35), Sagay City and San Enrique (34 each), Cadiz City and Hinoba-an (32 each), Pulupandan (29), Cauayan and Valladolid (28 each), Moises Padilla and Don Salvador Benedicto (16 each), Sipalay City and Toboso (14 each), and Candoni (3).

Tumimbang reiterated the need to work on eliminating dengue through strict compliance with the 4S drive (search and destroy mosquito breeding places, self protection, seeking early treatment and saying no to indiscriminate fogging).

Dengue is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with any one of the four dengue viruses. Symptoms appear 3 to 14 days after the infective bite, a World Health Organization advisory states.

Dengue fever is an illness that affects infants, young children and adults.

Symptoms include mild fever to incapacitating high fever, with severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, and rash.