La Trinidad, Benguet has been categorized under code red due to the high percentage of dengue-carrying mosquitoes in the various households surveyed.
The La Trinidad Municipal Health Services Office reported that during its conduct of a larval survey to around 1,903 houses, it has found that 71.07 percent or 437 houses are vector carriers for dengue, zika and chikungunya viruses.
Also, 28.93 percent or 178 houses have been tested to have Japanese encephalitis vectors in their area.
In its survey, the MHSO has found that most of the mosquito breeding sites are found in drums with 44.07 percent and discarded tires with 18.29 percent.
Other breeding sites are plastic containers, pails and basins, flower pots and vases, and canals.
With this, the MHSO together with the Municipal Epedimiological Surveillance Unit led the conduct of the 4 o’clock habit which enjoins the public to conduct clean up drives in their respective households.
This includes searching for possible mosquito breeding sites like stagnant water in broken pots or receptacles, staying updated to measures initiated by the local government unit against the disease and how to actively participate.
From January to March this year, Benguet’s dengue cases rose to 318, which includes one death compared to the 71 cases during the same period last year.
Benguet Gov. Melchor Diclas has issued a memorandumurging residents to put their guards up against the Covid-19 infection and other mosquito-borne illnesses.
The Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue was also activated in all municipal governments in support of the Department of Health’s fight against dengue.
The ABKD will remind the public in their respective localities of the four o’clock habit or the habitual search and destruction of mosquito breeding sites through siren, bell, horn, among others. – Ofelia C. Empian
