Dengue spreads; cases noted in Metro, Baguio, 5 provinces

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday declared a dengue outbreak in three areas in Baguio City, some places in Metro Manila and some barangays in five provinces due to rising cases of the disease. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the dengue outbreaks were detected in Irisan, Loakan Proper, and Pacdal, all in Baguio City. Earlier, an outbreak was first detected in Barangay Maybangkal in Morong, Rizal. Clustering of cases - which means two or three cases in one area - were observed in most of the cities and municipalities in the National Capital Region. Dengue cases were noted in Caloocan City, Malabon, Manila, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Paranaque, Pasig, Quezon City, Taguig and Valenzuela. These covered phases 4, 7, 8, and 9 of Bagong Silang in Caloocan City; Libis, Talisay, Lapu-Lapu-Maypajo, Julian Felipe-Sangandaan, also in Caloocan City; Acacia, Catmon, Longos, Potrero and Tonsuya in Malabon; Oroquieta-Sta Cruz, Quiricada-Sta Cruz, New Antipolo, Hermosa-Tondo and F. Varona-Tondo in Manila; Bayanan, Putatan in Muntinlupa; Dagat-Dagatan, Tangos, and Tanza in Navotas. In Paranaque, clustering of cases were observed in Moonwalk and Sucat and in Maybunga in Pasig. In Quezon City cases were noted in the areas of Tatalon, Tandang Sora, San Bartolome, Payatas, Masambong, Loyola Heights, Holy Spirit, Gulod-Novaliches, Cubao, Commonwealth, Manresa, Batasan Hills and Bagbag as well as in Maharlika Village in Taguig; and Ugong, Marulas, Malinta, Karuhatan, Lawang Bato, Gen. T. De Leon and Bignay in Valenzuela. Also in the list of areas where clustering was observed were in Calasiao and Dagupan City in Pangasinan; Baliwag, Marilao, Meycauyan, Sta Maria and San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan; Taytay in Rizal; Dumaguete City, Mabinay, Manjuyod, Tanjay and Bais in Negros Oriental; and Itogon in Benguet. Search and destroy Duque said "search and destroy is the only game where we can beat dengue," as he urged the public to clean and destroy the breeding sites of mosquitoes. According to Duque conducting a "search and destroy" operation is inexpensive because it will only "require the demolition of all possible Aedes Aegypti breeding places that includes old tires, coconut husks, roof gutters, discarded bottles, flower vases and all stagnant, clean waters. "We have to be vigilant in our guard against dengue. We cannot afford to be complacent and just sit down, especially not with the fact that most lives it claims are the hope of our future: our children," Duque said. The health chief also ordered the all government hospitals with dengue admittance to provide a dengue express lane where families and relatives can bring family members suspected to have dengue. "We are creating these express lanes for faster case management. So, I am urging all parents and caregivers to bring immediately all suspect cases to the nearest health facility, so they can be checked at once," Duque stressed. Records of the National Epidemiology Center (NEC) reported that from January to August 29, a total of 13,468 dengue cases have been admitted in hospitals nationwide, resulting in 167 deaths. However, Duque said the cases recorded the first eight months of this year were still lower than the cases posted in 2005 is lower than the 23,222 recorded for the same period last year. Nearly half of those affected children The youngest case of dengue recorded, according to the health chief, affected a one-month-old child. He added that majority or 53 percent of those affected were males. Forty-eight percent of the cases were children aged between one and ten years old. The regions with the highest number of cases were National Capital Region (4,222), Central Luzon (1,898), Central Visayas (1,752), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (922). Apart from cleaning and destroying breeding sites the DoH also told the public to take the necessary precautionary measures like using mosquito nets, insect repellants and other protective gear.-GMANews.TV