The dengue cases in Davao Region increased by three-fold, and the death count doubled, in the first three months of the year.Data from the Department of Health Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit showed that 1,551 reported cases of dengue, with two deaths, in Davao Region, have been recorded from Jan. 1 to March 11, this year.
The two casualties are from this city and from Davao Oriental.
Only 566 cases, with one death, were reported in the same period last year.
In the 1,551 cases in the region, Davao City has the highest number at 644.
Cases in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental were also high, with 359 and 318 respectively.
Davao del Norte followed with 191 cases. Davao Del Sur had 32 cases. Only seven cases were reported in Davao Occidental.
With this, City Health Officer Dr. Josephine Villafuerte called on the public for cooperation in maintaining cleanliness in their community that helps prevent dengue-carrying mosquitoes to breed.
“We never stopped our preventive measures but we are asking the community to help us because we cannot do it all,” Villafuerte told TIMES.
According to Villafuerte, the Ancillary Services Unit (ASU) of the local government continues cleaning the sewers but the communities should also continue this practice.
“It’s their (ASU) work but the community should also participate,” Villafuerte said.
“I also encourage them to clean their backyards and to dry up.”
“The prevention for dengue is primarily to clean, that is very simple. This is to eliminate the breeding place of the dengue-carrying mosquitoes,” she added.
Villafuerte assured that there will be no dengue outbreak in that city as they “continue to do the prevention and control whole year round, not just for a specific month.”
