ANTI-DENGUE CAMPAIGN. A tarpaulin reminding the public to practice the '4S' to fight dengue is mounted inside the Malasakit Center of Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Hospital in Bacolod City. The Provincial Health Office reported a total of 49 dengue deaths in Negros Occidental from January 1 to August 24 on Tuesday (September 3, 2019). (PNA Bacolod file photo)
BACOLOD CITY -- The Provincial Health Office (PHO) has reported a total of 49 dengue deaths in Negros Occidental from January 1 to August 24 as cases increased by 67 percent compared to the figures last year.
Data released by the PHO on Tuesday showed that as of Morbidity Week 34, Kabankalan City, which has the highest cases at 972, has reported six deaths followed by Himamaylan City, with five.
Other fatalities were recorded in Cadiz City, San Carlos City and Cauayan, four each; Sagay City and Bago City, three each; Hinoba-an, Salvador Benedicto, Candoni, and Escalante City, two each; San Enrique, Hinigaran, E.B. Magalona, La Castellana, Manapla, Victorias City, La Carlota City, Calatrava, Binalbagan, Talisay City, Silay City, and Murcia, one each.
Until Morbidity Week 33, dengue deaths in Negros Occidental were only 39, and Kabankalan City only had four recorded deaths previously.
Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said he considers the increase in deaths as “bad news”, but noted that the fatality rate is still at 0.7 percent of the total cases, which is below the 1 percent allowable level.
“Despite that, we still need to work to bring the deaths down. I hope it will not reach 1 percent,” he added.
As of August 24, records showed that Negros Occidental has a total of 7,208 cases, which is 67 percent higher from only 4,372 cases during the same period in 2018.
Tumimbang, however, said cases have been declining based on weekly monitoring.
The highest cases were reported during Morbidity Weeks 29 and 30, but this time around cases have decreased, he added.
During Morbidity Week 33, a total of 512 new cases were reported while only 398 were reported during Morbidity Week 34.
“Definitely, our efforts have been effective. We just have to sustain this for the coming months. It’s a matter of sustaining what we are doing,” Tumimbang said. (PNA)
