• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Dengue cases in Negros Occidental more than doubled, with 3,500 cases recorded from January to July 19 this year, compared to only 1,534 cases in the same period of 2024.
Data of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) on Monday (Aug. 4) showed an increase of 128.16 percent, with dengue-related fatalities remaining at seven.
Dr. Ma. Girlie Pinongan, provincial health officer, said the age-group with the most number of cases range from 11 to 20 years old.
“We continuously advocate sanitation, especially in schools, with the opening of classes,” Pinongan said.
Bago City topped the list with the highest cases of dengue at 815, followed by La Carlota City – 360, Kabankalan City – 325, San Carlos City – 188, Cauayan – 140, Silay City – 131, Hinigaran – 115, Isabela – 106, Pontevedra – 98, and La Castellana – 96.
In the highly-urbanized Bacolod City, two more dengue-related deaths were recorded from July 13 to 19, bringing to four the number of fatalities since January, the City Health Office (CHO) reported.
The latest fatalities, who are five and six year-olds, are residents of Barangays Handumanan and Vista Alegre, respectively.
The CHO logged 631 cases so far, this year compared to 376 cases in 2024, marking an increase of 67.8 percent.
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral infection caused by the dengue virus, primarily transmitted through the bites of infected Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes.
In its advisory, the Department of Health has reminded the public to intensify dengue control measures, emphasizing the need to search and destroy mosquito breeding sites, secure self-protection, seek early consultation, and support fogging in hotspot areas. | GB
