GOVERNMENT CENTER, PALO, Leyte – The regional office of the Department of Health(DOH) is encouraging local government units to continue doing their clean-up drives to destroy mosquito breeding sites that may carry the dengue fever virus.
DOH-8 regional information officer John Paul Roca said that the number of dengue patients recorded in the region is now decreasing every week but people must not be complacent as they should instead continue in destroying the mosquito breeding sites.
Roca cited as an example the provincial government of Samar which declared August 9 as a special non-working holiday for all government employees for them to participate in the clean-up drive.
An executive order signed by Governor Milagrosa ‘Mila’ Tan mandated for a province-wide clean-up drive every Saturday for four consecutive weeks.
“This is what we called a good practice for a local government unit which others must do because the implementation of health programs are handled in their level while on our part is more on technical assistance,” Roca said.
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone also issued an executive order declaring every Friday as special non-working holiday in all government offices in the province for four consecutive weeks starting September 13.
“Especially now that rainy season is coming, regular clean-up drive is very important and the most effective tool to ensure that mosquito will have no breeding site and to prevent the spread of dengue,” Roca said.
The DOH in the region reported that the from week 1 to week 35, dengue cases in Eastern Visayas had already reached 17,670 or a 327.12 percent increase to the same period of dengue cases in 2018 with only 4, 134.
Most of the cases or 26 percent of the reported dengue victims came from Leyte province with 4,633 cases. This is followed by Samar with 3,014 cases and Eastern Samar with 2,190, Northern Samar with 1,371, Biliran with 548 and Southern Leyte with 487.
Among cities, Tacloban has the most number of dengue reported cases with 2,248, followed by Calbayog City with 1,029 and Catbalogan City with 777.
Number of deaths due to dengue also increases to 53 compared to 26 of the same period in 2018.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
