No dengue deaths in Marikina, says village head nurse

MANILA, Philippines - Marikina has no cases of dengue-related deaths, contrary to a report by the Department of Health (DOH), according to city health officials. "No cases of deaths or severe illness of dengue case that may cause an alarming effect to Marikeños," Parang Health Center head nurse Cesar Felizardo. Barangay Parang was one of the four villages in Metro Manila being watched as potential dengue hotspots, according Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, dengue program manager of the National Epidemiology Center (NEC). Sy said 100 cases had been recorded in the four villages, the other three being Barangay Baesa and Barangay Batasan Hills in Quezon City, and Barangay 177 in Caloocan City. Of the 100 patients, three had died. But the Parang head nurse explained that dengue had been immediately addressed by city health officials at the onset of the rainy season by clustering and intervention at the 16 barangays of the city. According to Dr. Honnielyn Fernando, assistant chief of the Marikina City Health Office, dengue cases in Marikina are under control, with a remarkable markdown of 50 percent of dengue cases reported in the first half of the 2008. And Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando pointed out that health and engineering officials had been implementing "Walang Pusali sa Marikina" and "Operation Tambak" - programs aimed at filling in depressions on streets and lots where water may collect and become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. - GMANews.TV