Isabela town in state of calamity due to dengue

Raymon Dullana

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Isabela town in state of calamity due to dengue
The town of Luna in Isabela province in the northern Philippines has recorded 54 cases of dengue in June, the start of the rainy season

ISABELA, Philippines – The rainy season has just started, but the municipality of Luna in Isabela province in the northern Philippines already declared state of calamity after their health office recorded 54 cases of dengue in just the month of June.

Dengue is a fever, usually fatal, caused by a bite of Aedes mosquito. It targets the immune system of the body.

Dr Claire Francisco, Luna’s health officer, said on Tuesday, June 30, the number of cases reported for the month is “significantly” higher compared to the numbers reported in the same month in previous years.

Although there is no case of death from dengue yet, the increase in the reported cases of the disease prompted the local government unit to declare a state of calamity to be able to release funds for the purchase of medical equipment.

Francisco said the purchase of equipment will also be anticipation of more cases during the rainy season.

Thirteen out of 19 barangays (villages) in the town were affected, she said.

Francisco advised residents to maintain cleanliness and get rid of stagnant waters so dengue-causing mosquitoes would not have places to breed in.

Rising cases

In April, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 6.49% increase of dengue cases in the country, citing 19,946 cases in the first quarter of 2015.

The number reached 744 in Cagayan Valley, while Calabarzon had the highest with 3,778 and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) had the lowest with 312.

Philhealth subsidizes dengue case confinement with to P31,300 for level 3. The subsidy covers the maximum allowable expense for room, drugs and medicines, and laboratory tests.

The health department is expecting the number of dengue cases to peak in the months of July and August. – Rappler.com 

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