• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Dengue cases in Western Visayas decreased by 45 percent in 2023, or at 8,430 infections, from 15,329 cases in the same period in 2022, the Department of Health Region 6 said.
Data released Jan. 5 via the DOH6 Dengue and Malaria Program FB Page showed that the regional dengue death count remained at 29, and no new fatalities were recorded, as of Dec. 23.
Nine of the fatalities were logged in Negros Occidental, followed by Aklan, five; Capiz, four; three each for Bacolod City and Iloilo City, two each in Iloilo province and Antique, and one in Guimaras.
Iloilo province topped the list of areas in the region with highest number of newly-reported dengue cases during the Dec. 17-23 monitoring at 16, for a total of 1,993 cases; Iloilo City – 12 new cases (1,219 total), and nine for Negros Occidental (1,547 total cases).
Bacolod logged five new infections, for a total of 590 cases from Jan. 1 to Dec. 23, 2023, the DOH said.
The City Health Office earlier said the cases in 2023 decreased by about 44 percent, compared to the 2022 data of 1,004 cases with 14 deaths. | CGC
