Baguio wages battle vs dengue

2 weeks ago

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Public Health Image Library/US Centers Disease for Control and Prevention

BAGUIO CITY — Dubbed as “Denguerra,” the battle against dengue disease has been intensified in this city as summer marks the beginning of the peak season for its spread, the Baguio City Anti-Dengue Committee (BCADC) said over the weekend.

Part of the program to combat the mosquito-borne disease is the mobilization of barangays to conduct massive and simultaneous search and destroy operations every Thursday to weed out mosquito breeding sites.

The city also launched an online system of reporting cases to boost surveillance and capture all cases and take necessary steps to contain the spread of the disease.

Noting how dengue cases are starting to pick up, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has ordered the implementation of preventive programs to prevent a repeat of the 2016 dengue season when cases soared to their highest ever.

As of April 25, the City Health Services Office has recorded 260 dengue cases since Jan. 1. Acting City Health Officer Dr. Celia Flor C. Brillantes confirmed that one of those infected by the mosquito-borne disease — a 63-year-old male from the Loakan area — died of dengue-related causes.

City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (CESU) chief Dr. Donabel Panes said, of the total 260 dengue cases, only 93 were admitted to the hospital while the rest were outpatients. — Artemio A. Dumlao