34 dengue-risk areas identified in Cordi

BAGUIO CITY — The Cordillera office of the Department of Health here has identified 34 dengue-risk areas in the region. It was feared a dengue outbreak could happen in these areas. Of the 34 dengue-stricken areas, 15 barangays are located in this mountain resort city, and the 19 other dengue-risk areas are in the different provinces in the region.

However, health authorities said that there is no cause for alarm because the agency and its partner agencies have put in place programs, projects, and strategies aimed at preventing the spread of dengue fever cases.

Dr. Myrna Cabotaje, DOH-CAR regional director, said that the people could prevent the outbreak of dengue-fever cases in their localities with the right information on the four ways of preventing it.

These are searching and destroying the breeding sites of dengue-arrying mosquitoes, self-protection measures, seeking consultation, and saying "no" to indiscriminate fogging.

Records show that the risk areas in the city are Engineer’s Hill, Aurora Hill, Santa Scholastica, Lucban, Holyghost, City Camp, Hillside, Irisan, Quezon Hill, Kias, San Luis village, Dominican, Mirador, Trancoville, and Asin. The towns of La Trinidad, Itogon, Mankayan, Bokod, Sablan, and Tuba, have been identified as the risk areas in Benguet. In Kalinga, the dengue-risk areas are Tabuk City, Pinukpuk, and Rizal, while the towns of Bangued, Tayum, and San Quintin are the critical areas in Abra.

The towns of Alfonso Lista, Lamut, and Lagawe are the dengue "hot spots" in Ifugao, while the risk areas in Mountain Province include Paracelis and Bontoc. Apayao has two dengue-risk areas, Luna and Flora.

From January, this year to the present, the number of dengue cases in the region rose to 58, but no death was reported. In 2007, there were 1,122 dengue cases which were reported in the different parts of the region. It was down by 40 percent decrease compared to 1,989 in 2006.

Records show there were 1,123 dengue cases in the region in 2005; 539 cases in 2004; and 116 cases in 2003. At present, health officials here are worried about the impact of the increase in dengue cases. In an effort to prevent an outbreak, they have intensified their information and education campaign on how to prevent dengue. This was intensified in June, which is National Dengue Awareness Month.

The DoH aims to eradicate so that it will no longer pose a major public health problem. Last year, two dengue deaths were registered. This prompted the DoH to intensify efforts to eliminate deaths caused by dengue. Dengue fever is an infection caused by a virus, which is transmitted by the bite of infected female Aedes mosquitoes during the day. – Dexter A. See