The Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-WV CHD) is urging the public to seek immediate consultation once they manifest signs and symptoms of dengue as cases and deaths in the region continue to rise.
The region has 18,056 cases with 42 deaths this year, covering the Jan. 1 until Aug. 24 monitoring report of DOH.
The cases were 229 percent higher than the 5,491 cases and 25 deaths posted in the same period last year.
There was an increase in cases by 2,368, including 11 deaths from the Aug. 17 reporting week.
“Let us not hesitate to seek early consultation because in our health facilities, we have distributed thousands of NS1 kits, and these are given free in our health facilities,” Dr. Bea Camille Natalaray, program medical coordinator for emerging and re-emerging infectious disease cluster, said during the virtual presser on Wednesday.
Natalaray added that parents should understand that they need to bring their children to health facilities within two days after they manifest signs and symptoms.
The DOH, as part of its interventions, has ongoing case and serotype surveillance, outbreak response monitoring, holds refresher on dengue clinical management and orientation on pesticide application, and conducts dengue death reviews.
Since last week, DOH has distributed 5,590 NS1 kits and 3,571 insecticide-treated rolls.
The highest number of cases in the region came from Iloilo with 7,020; Negros Occidental has 2,864; Aklan, 1,919; Capiz, 1,828; Guimaras, 1,446; Iloilo City, 1,118; Antique, 1,022; and Bacolod City, with 849 cases.
The 42 deaths came from Iloilo province with 20; Negros Occidental, eight; Capiz, five; Iloilo City, four; Aklan, two; and one each in Antique, Guimaras, and Bacolod City.
The DOH data also showed that 959 barangays have a clustering of cases.
“We have recorded 20 hotspot areas. These are barangays with a sustained increase in cases or barangays with clustering of cases and deaths,” Natalaray added.
She added that the most affected belongs to the 11-20-year-old age group, comprising 34.4 of the cases, followed by the 1 –10 age group with 31.7 percent.
All age groups have recorded cases, she said.*PNA