Mayor Evelio Leonardia has ordered the City Health Office to intensify its Barangay Anti-Dengue efforts following the recent rise in dengue cases in Bacolod City.
Bacolod had 207 dengue cases with four deaths as of June 11, a press release from the City Public Information Office said Friday, June 17.
This year’s cases are 137.3 percent higher compared to the 87 cases and two fatalities in the same period in 2021, Bacolod City Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (BCESU) data showed.
“Much like COVID-19, dengue is no laughing matter. We cannot afford another pandemic,” Leonardia said, urging barangay leaders and health workers to coordinate with the CHO as they conduct their anti-dengue programs to curb the spread of the illness.
The mayor also advised residents to maintain cleanliness in their surroundings, especially now that occasional rains in the afternoons signal the start of the rainy season.
City Health Office Environment Sanitation Division chief, Dr. Grace Tan, identified 15 barangays with clustered dengue cases, or areas with two or more reports within one or more than two successive weeks.
They are barangays Tangub, Villamonte, Mandalagan, Estefania, Taculing, Felisa, Sum-ag, Bata, Cabug, Mansilingan, Alijis, 32, 40, Granada and Handumanan.
Barangay Estefania recorded the highest number of dengue cases with 21, followed by Barangay Tangub with 20, Singcang – 18, Mandalagan – 16, Mansilingan and Sum-ag – 14 each, Villamonte – 13, Granada – 12, Alijis – 11 and Taculing – 9.
Most common breeding places documented were plants, uncovered bottles and water containers and empty fishponds.
Tan encouraged barangays to practice the 4S system against dengue: Search and destroy all possible breeding areas of mosquitoes; Seek early consultation; Secure self-protective measures and Say Yes to fogging and spraying only when there is clustering of cases.
The CHO is also partnering with barangays in the conduct of Executive Order No. 17 or the creation of the Anti-Dengue Committee and the Barangay Anti-Dengue Task Force, along with the distribution of larvicides, a media campaign, fogging and spraying in and around index cases and schools, epidemiological surveys, coordination with the Liga ng Barangay, partnership with establishments, Dengue Noise Caravans and the activation of Dengue Fast Lanes in health centers, she added.*