BORONGAN CITY, EASTERN SAMAR, (PIA) – As the onset of rainy days come, the Provincial Hospital here has recorded a continuing admission of patients suspected of Dengue.
Ms. Concesa Balanga, Dengue Sentinel Nurse of ESPH informed through Radyo ng Bayan DYES that, suspected cases have reached to 351 as of press time. According to her this is higher than last year’s 300 cases on the same period but may not be alarming however.
This number includes 99 suspects in Borongan, 100 in Guiuan, 52 in Balangiga, 52 in Lawaan and 1 in Mercedes. In Borongan, barangay Tabunan has been reported to have more suspected cases.
She added however, that until after the result of an RDC Test in a patient reveals positive, Denque cannot be ruled-out yet.
Meanwhile, the Health Officer urges households to be serious in arresting the disease which is highly transferable by mere mosquito bites.
“We call on households to cooperate with their respective health personnel and barangay officials in various activities aimed to control or eradicate mosquitoes that are carrier of the virus”, Ms. Balanga said.
It is important, she said to do the 4:00’oclock habit when households clean regularly their surroundings at this hour. Also, the 4S has been found out to be effective in preventing the possible outbreak of Dengue be practiced: Search and destroy of breeding places, Seek early consultation, observe Self-protection, and Say no to indiscriminate fogging.
In response, the Provincial Health Office(PHO) here, in coordination with the World Health Organization(WHO) is currently holding massive trainings in different barangays for “Dengue Brigades”.
Four representatives for each barangay are trained who then are expected to share the knowledge and skill to their neighbors.
Earlier reports(PNA) said that Director Jose Llacuna, Jr. DOH Regional Director underscored that the factors that may cause Dengue outbreak are present particularly in “Yolanda” affected areas: too much rain, garbage which are not collected that could serve as breeding sites, possible increase of adult mosquitoes, and possible presence of the virus.
The report added that the DOH RD encourages all local government units to take active participation in the garbage collection stressing further that fogging operation must be done by technical experts and done in proper time only. Self-medication must be avoided also, because some diseases like Chikungunya and Pneumonia mimic symptoms of the dengue fever, the report said.
In 2010, a Dengue outbreak was observed here, where at least 1,000 suspects were reported by PHO with a few deaths .(PIA-Eastern Samar/aen).
