• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Dengue cases in Silay City, Negros Occidental have climbed to 203, with an 11-year-old boy from Barangay E. Lopez recorded as the city’s first dengue-related fatality this year.
Dr. Vanessa Mahrie Madayag, assistant city health officer, said on Wednesday, Sept. 16 that dengue cases have been increasing, with 94 cases recorded in August and 52 in July.
Barangay E. Lopez has reported the highest number of cases at 67.
The fatality involved a boy from the Yolanda Housing Project, who was being treated at the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital.
Madayag expressed concern over the practice of initially resorting to traditional massage or medicines before seeking medical treatment.
She urged residents to immediately consult health professionals when dengue symptoms appear and not wait until the illness becomes severe.
Mayor Joedith Gallego called on Silaynons to be vigilant against dengue and to regularly clean their surroundings.
With frequent rains creating stagnant water, residents were urged to remove or cover containers, bottles, tires and other items that can collect water and become mosquito-breeding sites.
Madayag stressed the importance of early consultation and community-wide efforts to eliminate possible breeding grounds for dengue-carrying mosquitoes. | GPB
