March 28, 2024

Majority of the diseases being monitored by the different surveillance units in the Cordillera showed a decreasing trend since January, the regional Department of Health reported.
Based on the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit Report from Jan. 1 to July 4, the cases monitored by the different surveillance units have been on the downtrend.
For dengue, the number of cases has gone down to 563 during the January to July recording period from the 3,482 cases recorded in the same period last year, while the number of flu-like illnesses decreased to 2,444 from 6,019 recorded in the same period last year.
Typhoid cases have gone down to 526 during the recording period this year compared with the 1,530 cases noted in the same period last year, while cases of acute bloody diarrhea went down to 356 from 936 cases.
Cases of leptospirosis however increased to 35 from the 20 cases, while a lone case of viral hepatitis A was recorded during the reporting period this year. No case was reported during the same period last year.
For vaccine preventable diseases, cases have gone down except for acute flaccid paralysis, which increased to nine from the seven cases reported last year.
Measles cases decreased to 381 from the 941, acute meningitis, eight cases from 42; diphtheria, one case from 29; acute encephalitis syndrome, one case from 10; pertussis, one case from seven; and adverse events following immunization, one from five.
DOH Nurse V Geeny Anne Austria said the decrease in the number of cases can be attributed to several factors, among which is the restriction in people’s movements when the community quarantine began.
“The decrease in the trend can be due to the community quarantine which prevented people from seeking consultation and therefore the disease (they might have suffered from) were not recorded,” she said.
“Since there were no movements of people, there was also no person-to-person transmission (of the diseases).”
Another factor is the fact that some of the diseases may have been diagnosed as Covid-19, especially that some have symptoms like that of the Covid-19 infection.
Austria said while cases may have decreased, vigilance is still needed, especially against those that are caused by vectors, like dengue fever and prevention must still be observed.
“Despite the decrease in the number of cases, we still need to continue preventive activities, such as availing vaccines for the disease that are vaccine preventable,” Austria said.
DOH-Cordillera Director Amelita Pangilinan said the change in people’s behavior due to the threats of the Covid-19 pandemic can also be a factor in the decrease in cases.
“People have become more health conscious and have been observing the minimum health standards,” she said. – Jane B. Cadalig