DOH notes 44% rise in dengue cases in Caraga region

BUTUAN CITY- Dengue has reportedly hit 678 persons, mostly minors, in the Caraga region, the Department of Health (DOH) Caraga Regional Office said. The patients are confined at DOH sentinel hospitals in three cities and four provinces. The cases were reported from January to June 14 of this year. In the same period last year, only 470 cases were reported – 280 more than this year, or an increase by 44 percent. GMAnews.TV got the figures from records of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) office of the DOH regional office here. Most of the cases were reported this city, which had 160 cases, and in three provinces – Agusan del Sur with 173 cases, Surigao del Sur, 175 cases, and Agusan del Norte with 84 cases. Surigao City had 38 cases of Dengue and Bislig City 18, while Surigao del Norte had 30 cases. But the same office is hesitant to release the number of deaths caused by dengue. The cases need further evaluation, according to registered nurse Sheryll Plaza of RESU said. Plaza explained it will be RESU Office chief Dr. Jerna May-as Manatad who will release the data. Manatad is reportedly in Tandag City monitoring other diseases other RESU. Plaza added that the 678 cases of Dengue reported only come from reports of 18 DOH sentinel hospitals in the region. “We haven’t scoured individual houses in different barangays all over the region. What was reflected in the report are only reports from our sentinel hospitals," Plaza said. - GMANews.TV