Dengue cases increasing in Zambo

DENGUE CASES in Zamboanga continue to increase as Mayor Beng Climaco reminded residents to keep their surroundings clean at all times and to destroy all breeding grounds of mosquitoes.

The City Health Office (CHO) reported over four dozen cases recently. It said the total number of dengue cases here has reached over 2,600 since January and the most affected age group is zero to 9, about 51% and followed by 10-19 years old with 31% and the rest were all adults. 

The villages with the most number of dengue cases are Divisoria, Mercedes, Boalan, Lanzones, and Santa Barbara. The villages of Tetuan, Putik, Tumaga, Santa Maria, San Roque, Zambowood, Campo Islam, Zone IV, Sinunuc, Salaan, Bolong, Vitali, and Lumayang have also reported increasing dengue cases. 

Climaco has ordered fogging operations in villages where dengue cases have been reported, saying surveillance and public information campaigns on the deadly mosquito-borne virus have been intensified. 

She said the 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. 

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 villages, especially in areas where there are huge numbers of dengue cases, ordered a massive cleanliness drive to control the spread of the disease.  

She told village 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)