24 dengue deaths reported in Negros Occidental since January 2016

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Dengue cases in Negros Occidental have reached an epidemic threshold. While 24 deaths have been reported in Negros Occidental – 8 of which were in Bacolod City – since January of this year, the provincial government has yet to declare a state of calamity.

As Provincial Health Officer Ernell Tumimbang explained on Thursday, September 1, “we’re not entertaining declaring a state of calamity because that’s counterproductive. We’re making necessary interventions. If it’s beyond control, even with the conduct of emergency fogging and larvicide treatment, then that’s the time we can declare to prepare for the worst scenario later on as dengue patients may storm the hospitals.”

He added that it’s “not alarming” even if the cases have already reached the epidemic level.

Tumimbang also said the provincial health office will continue with the emergency fogging and larvicide treatment in localities with high dengue incidence.

There were two deaths in the same period last year, though the data for Negros Occidental did not include Bacolod at the time. 

The dengue death toll in the province increased after 4 more fatalities were reported in the past week. 

Aside from the 8 deaths in Bacolod City, fatalities were reported in the cities of La Carlota, San Carlos, Silay and Talisay with two each; and one each in the cities of Bago and Sagay, and the towns of E.B. Magalona, Hinigaran, Hinoba-an, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, and Murcia.

Dengue cases

From January 1 to August 27 this year, a total of 3,431 dengue cases were reported in the province while 1,158 cases were reported last year, with an increase of 2,273 cases, or 196 percent, records at the Provincial Health Office showed.

Most of the cases were from Silay City with 339, followed by Bago City with 281.

Other localities with high dengue incidence were Himamaylan City with 275; Kabankalan City with 247; Cauayan with 246; Isabela  with 199; La Carlota City with 149; San Carlos City with 146; and Hinoba-an with 108.

The provincial health office also noted Isabela has the highest incidence rate of dengue among the localities.

Most of the dengue patients were admitted to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City with 669; Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City with 641; and Don Salvador Benedicto Memorial Hospital in La Carlota City with 210.

Majority of the dengue cases belonged to the 11 to 20 year old age group, followed by 1 to 10 age group, the report said, adding that 1,828 of the cases affected male patients while 1,603 were females.

The provincial health office noted that dengue cases increased in the months of July and August this year. – Rappler.com