• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Provincial Health Office (PHO) recorded 1,338 dengue cases in Negros Occidental from Jan. 1 to March 15 this year, higher by 1,068 cases compared to only 270 for the same period in 2024.
Clustering of dengue cases was reported in 35 Negros Occidental barangays while the age-group with the most number of cases ranges from 11 to 20 years old.
Total number of dengue-related deaths remained at six.
A total of 233 dengue cases, including one fatality, was reported in the highly-urbanized Bacolod City as of March 8.
Among the 31 component cities and municipalities of Negros Occidental, Bago City registered the highest number of dengue cases at 265.
Meanwhile, the PHO reported three typhoid related deaths as of March 19.
In a report submitted to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, the PHO said it logged 344 typhoid fever cases, indicating a 91.11 percent increase compared to the cases for the same period last year.
Kabankalan City recorded the most number of such cases at 78.
Lacson advised the public to boil their drinking water to prevent the spread of the disease, especially in affected areas.
Typhoid, according to the Department of Health, is caused by contaminated food and water.
“Communities should be extra careful with sources of water,” Lacson said. | GB
