BONTOC, Mountain Province – As a preventive measure against dengue fever, teams were deployed in private and public schools in the capital town to conduct dengue indoor residual spraying and larvicide treatment.
The spraying is an immediate intervention of the government in response to the increasing number of dengue cases in the municipality.
From January 2023 up to the present, the Municipal Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit recorded a total of 138 cases. Of the number, those ages eight to 14 were the most affected.
Indoor residual spraying and larvicide treatment were conducted at All Saints Mission School, MP SPED Center, Bontoc Central School, and Saint Vincent’s School, Inc.-elementary department, All Saints Cathedral, and at the Mountain Province Provincial Police Office-2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company Headquarters.
Relative to this, the MHO emphasized the 5S against mosquito-borne infections which include Search and destroy breeding sites; Self-protection from mosquito bites; Seek early medical consultation; Support fogging in areas with clustering of cases, and Sustain hydration.
Local health officials also enjoined the public to maintain clean surroundings since used tires, cans, and plastics are potential breeding sites of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
The public is further advised to be cautious of symptoms.
For chikungunya, it includes fever, severe joint pain and swelling, headache body pain, nausea, fatigue, and rashes. For dengue, these are headache, body weakness, joint and muscle pain, pain behind the eyes, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and rashes. – Alpine K. Malwagay
