Zika Summit for barangay brass, health workers held
THE government’s campaign to prevent Zika virus from reaching Pangasinan shifted to high gear with the holding of a Zika summit among barangay officials and health workers in Dagupan City.
The Zika virus awareness campaign included updates on dengue fever.
Dr. Jimuel Cardenas, head of the Local Health Support Division of DOH-Regional Office, said there are already 41 reported cases of Zika in the Philippines, 27 patients are women and 14 are men, the oldest patient diagnosed with Zika is 70 years old, and the first case came from Iloilo.
While there has been no reported case of patients with Zika virus in the region, Cardenas warned that a single case can quickly increase because the virus is contagious.
Cardenas stressed cleanliness is very important in the battle to destroy the Zika virus-carrying mosquito.
Aside from mosquito bite, the infection can be transmitted to people through a bite of infected Aedes mosquito and can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to unborn baby and through sexual contact with an infected partner.
The most common signs and symptoms of Zika are skin rashes with fever, joint pains, red eyes or conjunctivitis.
DOH Region 1 appealed to local officials to pass an ordinance to support the campaign against the anti-Zika virus campaign.
DOH assures support to the locals through seminars and providing pesticide and mosquito nets but officials in the local government and barangays are very vital in this campaign.
Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez said, the City is already implementing the ‘Tanggal Gulong’ drive and other measures to contain dengue cases in the city.
(Nora Dominguez)
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