LINGAYEN—More than 1,000 persons have been afflicted by dengue since the beginning of this year, but Governor Amado Espino Jr. said there is still no need to put the province under a state of calamity over this.

Based on records of the Provincial Health Office (PHO), there have been 10 fatalities out of all the dengue patients from January to August 9 this year.

The total number of patients is now 300 percent higher than the 323 cases with five deaths registered in the same period last year. Most of the patients afflicted were male children from 10 to 15 years old.

Espino, in an interview on August 11, clarified that Pangasinan is currently still under a state of calamity on account of the devastation brought by Typhoon “Juaning”.

The governor instead called on the people, especially mothers, to be vigilant in observing their children for possible symptoms of dengue and immediately rush them to the provincial hospitals for diagnosis and treatment.

Espino also ordered barangay chairmen to undertake cleanliness and sanitation drives in their areas and locate places where stagnant water is gathered to prevent the spread of the dengue virus carried by mosquitoes.

At the same time, the governor ordered the 14 district hospitals of the province to give priority to dengue patients and ensure that they are given sufficient medical care.

The rise in number of dengue patients runs counter to the claim of Board Member Jeremy Agerico Rosario, chairman on health of the provincial legislative body, that there is in fact a high awareness on the disease among Pangasinenses and that there are ongoing preventive measures against the disease.

R1MC

At the Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC), Dr. Michael Canto, director for external affairs, said that last Tuesday, August 9, there were 25 children admitted to the pediatric wards and was followed by another 52 the next day.

He said the hospital managed to provide individual beds for all while under treatment.

Canto said the hospital already registered 155 cases of dengue from August 1 to 9 compared to 155 for the whole month of August last year.

BARANGAY NURSES

In Dagupan, City Health Officer (CHO) Leonard Carbonell has directed all barangay nurses to be on alert for dengue.

The nurses will conduct dengue tailing, including case investigation and validation report and provide supportive and primary medical care and case monitoring for those who are showing dengue symptoms.

Carbonell said there was a 23 percent increase in the number of dengue fever cases from May to July this year.

“Based on epidemiological trend, cases of dengue fever are expected to increase and spike in the months of August, September and October,” said Carbonell.

In line with this, the CHO has already conducted selective fogging operations in areas with two or more cases occurring within two successive weeks as well as other preventive measures to stop the proliferation of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

Back to Homepage

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments