By PR | 11:33 AM October 17, 2023
There has been 1,224 dengue cases in Bohol.
This was reported by the Provincial Health Office’s (PHO) Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU) on its 39th morbidity week dengue report.
PHO recorded the cases from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30 which is 44.6% lower than last year’s 2,210.
Although the figures this year are significantly lower compared to the same period last, PHO provincial dengue program coordinator Leonidas Saniel said there is no room for complacency.
He advised local government units to adopt measures against the virus to avoid any mortality or an uptick of cases before 2023 ends.
Two deaths have been reported this year, one each in Clarin and Sagbayan.
According to PESU’s findings, municipal dengue ordinances have yet to be implemented for some LGUs, with many purok dengue task forces not functional.
Another is the ack of knowledge on the 4’S (Search and destroy, Self-protection from dengue, Support indiscriminate fogging, and Seek early consultation) strategy.
This was part of the report findings, noting insufficient information education campaigns (IECs) for barangays vulnerable to the dengue threat.
The anti-dengue drive is part of the provincial government’s Strategic Change and Development Agenda under Gov. Aris Aumentado.
The present administration is focused on health and social services in line with the Department of Health’s nationwide campaign against dengue fever.
The PHO recommended intensive IEC in the barangays and weekly surveillance activities by purok dengue task forces.
It also encouraged lobbying for support from LGUs encouraging community vigilance, and mobilizing search and destroy programs as effective measures.
The data collected from PESU’s Different Reporting Units (DRUs) showed Talibon remains as the town with the most number of cases in the past nine months, with 162 or 13.24% of the total cases.
It was followed by 134 in Tagbilaran or 10.95%, Inabanga with 98, 8.01%; Clarin, 94 with one casualty, 7.76%; and Carmen, 70, 5.72%.
Since February, PESU has conducted entomological surveillance of areas with high cases to identify those at risk of outbreaks and to assess their performances to keep their locality dengue-free. (PIMO/GMC)
