Dengue claims 21 lives in Central Luzon: More Ilocos towns, cities under state of calamity

By Freddie G. Lazaro, Jerry Padilla and Jennelyn Mondejar

SAN FERNANDO, La Union – The Department of Health Wednesday declared a dengue outbreak in this city and four towns in La Union, which was placed under a state of calamity last week even as 21 persons lost their lives to dengue in Central Luyon.

This, as the DOH revealed Tuesday that dengue cases in Central Luzon rose by 284 percent from January to August this year as compared with the same period last year.

DOH regional information officer SherillAure said the number of cases stands at 6,969, which is one of the highest in the country.

Aure said that Bulacan has recorded the highest number dengue cases in Central Luzon with 2,259, followed by Nueva Ecija – 1,666; Pampanga – 1,390; Tarlac – 736; Bataan – 525; Zambales – 350 and Aurora – 43. Aure added that their Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit had reported a total of 21 deaths.

In Ilocos Norte, local officials officially declared Laoag City under a state of calamity due to the spread of the dengue virus.

The SangguniangPanlungsod approved a resolution declaring the city under state of calamity due to dengue upon request of Mayor Michael Fariñas.

Association of Barangay Captains president ChevylleFariñas said the declaration allows the use of the calamity fund for a massive campaign to battle dengue.

The City Health Office reported that 250 residents have been downed by dengue with eight of them succumbing to the disease.

In San Fernando City, La Union, DOH Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag said health authorities have intensified fogging operations in the towns of Balaoan, Bacnotan, Bauang, and Bagulin and this city.

Classes were suspended in public elementary schools where fogging operations were conducted.

“The immediate measures to prevent further increase of dengue cases in these areas under outbreak is fogging and the search and destroy of breeding places for mosquitoes,” said Tayag who personally went here to assess the dengue situation in the province.

Tayag met with local health officials Wednesday and declared the outbreak after evaluating the overall condition of dengue cases in the province.

He said the DOH is strictly monitoring the chemicals being used in the fogging operations because there are fake substances being supplied which could aggravate proliferation of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

“We don’t want fake. We are strictly following the health department’s standards on chemicals for fogging operations,” he said.

Dr. Hector Beñas, provincial health officer, reported that the province is under a state of emergency due to the upsurge of dengue cases with 2,030 cases and seven deaths as of Aug. 8.

The declaration of state of calamity will allow the provincial government headed by Gov. Manuel Ortega to use a portion of the calamity fund to purchase chemicals and fogging machines to combat the proliferation of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

Dengue cases this year in La Union are higher than those recorded during the same period last year.