Hinigaran town in Negros Occidental has hit the epidemic threshold for dengue, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Provincial Health Officer, said Monday, June 6.
They will start fogging operations in Hinigaran, and are ensuring that clean up drives are conducted, he added.
The Department of Health (DOH) reported on Monday that Negros Occidental had 105 new dengue cases, raising its increase by 357 percent this year compared to 2021.
The latest DOH report said Negros Occidental had 800 dengue cases and five deaths from January 1 to May 28 this year, making it the topnotcher in Western Visayas.
Western Visayas has 297 new dengue cases bringing its total to 2,065 this year or an increase by 149 percent compared to last year, the DOH added.
Negros Occidental has also had 20 dengue deaths this year, the DOH added.
Bacolod City’s total dengue cases this year remained at 139 or a 70 percent increase from last year with four deaths, the DOH said.
The second area in Western Visayas with the highest dengue cases is Antique with 105 new cases for a total of 518 this year or an increase by 216 percent, followed by Iloilo province with 330 cases or an increase by 116 percent as of May 28 compared to 2021.
The 2022 dengue cases in Capiz were 118, Iloilo City – 75, Aklan – 63, and Guimaras – 22, the DOH said.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the Negros Occidental provincial government allocated funds for its dengue preventive measures as early as January.
Diaz said he has reminded Tumimbang that preventive measures should have been in place at the onset of the rainy season.
Larvicide should have already been distributed to local government units for possible breeding areas for mosquitos, which are dengue carriers, Diaz added.
Larvicide kills mosquito larvae before they can grow into adults.
Tumimbang said the larvicide have been distributed to areas where there are a high clustering of dengue cases.
They have to be prudent in the use of larvicide, he said.
They are encouraging LGUs to also buy larvicide, he added.*