ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 10 July) – The City Health Office reported that the number of dengue cases for the first semester of 2014 declined by 408 cases compared to the same period last year.
Data presented by Dr. Rodelin Agbulos, City Health Officer, showed they have recorded a total of 1,588 dengue cases during the first semester this year as against the 1,996 cases registered for the same period last year.
Agbulos attributed the decline in the number of cases to the continuous clean-up drive initiated by his office in partnership with the barangays, especially those identified with high number of dengue cases.
The dengue cases recorded during the first semester this year are as follows: January, 291; February, 220; March, 127; April, 128; May, 374; and, June, 448.
Last year’s record are as follows: January, 352; February, 346; March, 327; April, 259; May, 333; and June, 379.
Agbulos’s office also recorded a drop of four cases in the number of mortalities (13 deaths) covering the period from January to June this year compared to the same period last year (17 cases). This year’s
The top 10 barangays with the highest recorded cases are as follows: Talon-Talon, 123; Tugbungan, 113; Tetuan, 95; Tumaga, 86; Rio Hondo, 66; Putik, 65; Sta. Catalina, 58; San Roque, 57; Ayala, 56; and Sta. Maria, 52.
Agbulos said they will continue with the advocacy aimed to prevent and control occurrence of dengue together with the barangay officials and media partners since this year is supposed to be an epidemic year wherein outbreaks are supposed to be prevalent.
“Based on the trend of the Department of Health, epidemics and outbreaks usually occur two years after the last outbreak,” Agbulos explained.
