Biliran Town Declares Dengue Outbreak

The local government of Kawayan, Biliran issued an executive order declaring a dengue outbreak in the entire town on Wednesday.

Mayor Rodolfo Espina Sr. said the declaration is in response to the recommendation of the town’s health office to put the town under dengue outbreak status after the illness killed a five-year-old boy and downed 81 others in 10 villages during the first six weeks of 2019.

The villages with clustered cases are Mapuyo, Tucdao, Kansanoc, Burabod, Ungale, Madao, Villa Cornejo, Poblacion, Balite, and Balacson.

Christine Balasbas, the town’s health officer, said in a phone interview on Thursday that some patients are still being treated. Fogging operations are being done in areas affected by dengue.

The coastal town of Kawayan is about 128 kilometers northwest of Tacloban, the regional capital.

The Department of Health regional office said aside from the measles outbreak, they are also looking at the rising dengue cases in the region.

The region recorded 11,023 dengue cases with 61 deaths in 2018. For Jan. 1 to Feb. 9, a total of 1,169 cases were recorded by the health department.

Of the 1,169 cases in the region, 396 have been recorded in Samar, 254 in Leyte, 244 in Northern Samar, 171 in Biliran, 65 in Eastern Samar, and 39 in Southern Leyte.

In the past five weeks, dengue deaths have been reported in Kawayan, Biliran; Tacloban City, and Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

The DOH official reminded the public that those who experience fever should immediately seek medical attention.

Those who suffered dengue after their hospitalization should have a regular check-up for 10 days to monitor their condition.

“If they turn positive in a rapid diagnostic test, it is very important that patients should stay in the hospital,” Olobia said.

The DOH repeatedly asked communities to continue the search and destroy activities for the breeding ground of mosquitoes as these are the most effective strategy to combat dengue. (PNA)