CALBAYOG CITY- The epidemiology and surveillance unit of the City Health Office (CHO) of this city reported of an increase of number of dengue fever cases for the last seven months of the year compare to last year of the same period. Grace Campo of said office said that based on their monitoring, Calbayog has 166 dengue fever cases from the months of January up to July. Last year of the same period, the city had only 47 dengue fever cases.
Campo said that increase of mosquito bite ailment was noticeable during the months of June and July, considered the onset of rainy season. About 73 cases were reported during the month of June and 50 cases for the month of July. According to Campo, the 166 cases are only from those confined at the four hospitals in the city and not included those not admitted in the health facilities and patients directly brought to hospitals in Tacloban City or in Cebu City.
It was learned that out of the 157 barangays of Calbayog, 33 were reported with suspected dengue cases. These are cases an barangay Dagum with 18 cases; Obrero 14; Payahan 13; Hamorawon and Capoocan 11 cases each; Rawis and West Awang 9,; Trinidad, Nijaga and Carayman with 8 confined cases; Bagacay 7, East Awang and Matobato 6; Carmen and San Policarpo 5; Bagacay 4; Peña 3; Basud, Bontay, Dinagan, Gadgaran and Mag-ubay with 2 cases and one confined suspected dengue cases from barangays of Aguit-itan, Begaho, Cabatuan, Cagsalaosao, Cahumpan, Central, La Paz, Longsob, Lonoy, Navarro and San Joaquin.
Campo added that they still have to analyze the data clustering of the reported cases particularly in every sitio of the barangays with the high occurrence of the disease before they can declare an outbreak. She added that based on their initial assessment, declaration of an outbreak is not necessary since the situation of reported suspected dengue cases in the city is sporadic.
As of now, the city through the CHO has intensified their campaign against dengue in the barangay level and dengue vector surveillance is ongoing particularly in barangays with high incidence of the disease. The CHO likewise reminds the public to maintain the cleanliness of the community to avoid dengue and other diseases. (JENNIFER SUMAGANG-ALLEGADO)
