• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
As dengue cases rise in Negros Occidental, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson is urging barangay officials to stop the current trend of catching spiders as they can help solve the spread of dengue.
Negros Occidental ranked second among six provinces and two-highly urbanized cities in Western Visayas, with the highest number of dengue cases at 1,520, with six deaths, based on records of the Provincial Health Office from January to Aug. 3 this year.
Cases increased by 75.32 percent, from only 867 cases for the same period last year.
The highly-urbanized Bacolod City logged 434 cases, with two deaths, an increase of 36.9 percent, compared to 317, with three mortalities, from last year.
Noting that it is now a season for youngsters to collect spiders, Lacson called on barangay officials to discourage them from gathering spiders.
It may sound very trivial, but somehow it does help, he said.
Spiders, as predators, build a web to trap and kill mosquitoes.
During this season, spider fights have become very common in public markets and schools, with some even reportedly using spiders for illegal gambling.
Access to spiders has become easier because there are vendors who actually sell them to the public.
Both the Provincial Health Office and Bacolod City Health Office continue to reiterate the importance of sustained measures and interventions such as the implementation of “4S” strategy to combat dengue.
The “4S” include search and destroy breeding places, self-protection measures, seek early consultation, and support fogging and spraying. | GB
