DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 9 Aug) – The number of dengue cases in Davao Region reached 4,345 as of August 5 this year, higher by 61.
5% compared to 2,690 cases reported in the same period a year ago, according to the data released by the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday.
The agency also reported 21 deaths in the region.
But DOH Assistant Secretary Abdullah B. Dumama Jr. said during a press conference that although the region has not yet reached the epidemic threshold, the number of cases continues to be on the rise.
According to him, seven regions in the country had already breached the epidemic threshold level. These are Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.
According to the data, Davao City reported a total of 2,168 cases, comprising half of the total reported cases, and 11 deaths; Compostela Valley had 788 cases and one death; 641 cases and one death in Davao Oriental; 562 cases and six deaths in Davao del Norte; 151 cases and one death in Davao del Sur; and 35 cases and one death in Davao Occidental.
Dumama told the public to protect themselves from getting infected with dengue by practicing the 4 o’clock habit of cleaning their environment, which includes searching and destroying the possible breeding sites of the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that can transmit the viruses that cause dengue fever.
“This is the primary intervention to prevent and control dengue. This is the easiest, most economical, most sustainable, and most practical activity,” he said.
The DOH had already declared a National Dengue Epidemic last August 6, in the wake of the increasing reported cases of dengue in the country. The agency recorded 146,062 dengue cases from January 1 to July nationwide with 622 deaths.
The official assured the public that the supply at the blood bank here is sufficient.
Engr. Antonietta Ebol, DOH-Davao Regional Dengue Control and Prevention Program manager, encouraged the households to follow the 4 o’clock habit as this is the time that the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the carrier of dengue viruses, would “come out and seek blood meal.”
Among the signs and symptoms exhibited by a dengue victim include sudden onset of high fever which may last from two to seven days, joint and muscle pain and pain behind thee eyes, weakness, skin rashes, nose bleeding when fever starts to subside, abdominal pain, vomiting of coffee-colored matter, dark-colored stools, and the difficulty of breathing. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)