Dengue Cases in Cebu City Cut by Almost Half in 2014

Dengue cases in Cebu City dropped by about 50 percent last year compared to the previous year, an official from Cebu City Health Department (CHD) said.

CHD chief Dr. Daisy Villa said there were 1,324 dengue cases recorded in 2014.

The number is 48.9 percent or 1,265 cases lower than the 2,589 cases recorded in 2013, Villa said.

But she said five deaths were recorded each in 2013 and 2014.

The “significant decrease” was attributed to CHD’s quarterly curtain impregnation, as well as efforts to destroy mosquito breeding sites.

Villa also credited the decrease in dengue cases to larviciding, an ecologically safe preventive method used to interrupt the development of larvae or pupa into adult mosquitoes.

Villa said their intensified and massive awareness campaign on dengue and mosquito control measures also contributed to the decline.

The CHD recorded at least 227 cases, with two deaths, in January to February this year, higher by 31 cases in the same period last year.

Dengue is an acute mosquito-borne viral illness of sudden onset with symptoms such as headache, fever, severe joint and muscle pain, swollen glands and rashes. (PNA) FPV/EB/EBP