LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Residents are being urged to be vigilant against dengue even if the province recorded lower cases from January to June compared to the same period last year.
Provincial Health Officer Nora Ruiz said since January, the PHO recorded 205 cases, which is 58 percent lower than the 493 cases in the same period last year.
But even with the decrease in the number of cases, Ruiz reminded the public to continue following the 4S strategies against dengue.
The strategies are search and destroy or checking out of possible breeding sites in the surroundings where water accumulates such as tires, canals, cans, and leaves and practice “Operation Taob” or draining stagnant water, she said.
The PHO also reminded residents to seek early consultation if they are not feeling well and not to wait for their condition to worsen. If symptoms such as rashes, nauseating, and stomach ache occur, Ruiz advised that they should consult a physician at once.
Self protection measures must also be observed, such as wearing long sleeves and long pants and installation of window screens.
Ruiz added fogging must only be allowed in hot spot areas or places where there is upsurge of cases in two weeks.
Dengue is mainly transmitted by the aedes aegypti, but according to the World Health Organization, dengue outbreaks have also been attributed to aedes albopictus, aedes polynesiensis, and several species of the aedes scutellaris complex. – Susan C. Aro
