MAYOR BENG Climaco reminded residents anew to keep their surroundings clean and destroy breeding places of mosquitoes as Zamboanga continues to control dengue cases in many villages.
Climaco ordered fogging operations in villages where dengue cases have
been reported, saying surveillance and public information campaign
on the deadly mosquito-borne virus have been intensified.
She said the City Health Office (CHO) is also coordinating closely with
the affected villages in the conduct of fogging operations and other dengue
prevention measures.
The CHO reported that over 2,000
dengue cases were recorded from January 1 to May 14 and that at least 19 people
had died from the virus. It said dengue cases were 1,793% higher compared to
the same period last year.
Among the latest villages affected by dengue were Guiwan, Boalan, Zone III, and Sangali. Previously, the villages with high dengue cases were Tetuan, San Roque, Santa Maria, Mercedes, Putik, Pasonanca, Tumaga, Calarian, Divisoria, Culianan, San Jose Gusu, Tugbungan, and Cabatangan.
The local government declared an
outbreak of dengue fever in April.
Dengue
is transmitted through a bite of dengue-infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes
albopictus mosquitoes. These mosquitoes can lay eggs in any space or container
that holds clear and stagnant water like a bottle cap, dish dryer, plant axil,
gutter, trash can, old rubber tire.
They usually
bite between 2 hours after sunrise and 2 hours before sunset and can be found
inside and outside the house. Dengue symptoms typically begin 3 to 14
days after infection and these may include a high fever, headache, vomiting,
muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash.
Climaco, who
regularly goes around different barangays, especially in areas where there are
huge numbers of dengue cases, ordered a massive cleanliness drive to control
the spread of the disease.
Climaco ordered barangay officials to help in the campaign against dengue and lead residents in the cleanliness drive by destroying breeding grounds of mosquitoes. She also urged for public cooperation and community involvement in the campaign against the spread of the deadly dengue virus. “We have to keep our surroundings clean at all times and destroy breeding places of mosquitoes, such as discarded containers, tires and broken (flower) pots,” she said. (Zamboanga Post)
