CALASIAO—A dengue outbreak has been officially declared here with 23 of the 24 barangays reporting a total of 118 confirmed dengue patients with one death.

Mayor Roy Macanlalay, following consultations with Vice Mayor Ferdinand Galang and officials from the provincial and regional health offices, made the declaration and said his administration is set to address the problem and stop the further spread of the mosquito-borne disease.

The last time a dengue outbreak broke out in the town was in 1998 that claimed 271 victims.

Last year, for the period January to August 15, only six cases were reported.

Macanlalay told The PUNCH that the local government is now making representations with the provincial office for free hospitalization, as in 1998, for the patients at the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital in San Carlos City.

The mayor added that they expect more cases given the onset of the rainy season.

Dr. Arturo de Vera Jr., municipal health officer, told The PUNCH in a separate interview, all the parameters for declaring an outbreak including magnitude of the areas affected were considered before making the declaration.

He said full blast fogging operations were conducted in the schools here last week.

The hardest hit barangays this year are San Miguel with 15; Malabago, 14; and Lasip, 11.

Most of the victims are children while the oldest is 55 years old; the lone casualty was a teenager. #

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