2012 dengue cases in Sto. Tomas at 279

According to the 2012 Dengue Suspects Surveillance Report released by the Provincial Health Office, Sto. Tomas town ranked fourth among the eleven municipalities and cities in Davao del Norte. Out of the 279 documented cases, the report cited, 26 were classified with Dengue Fever while 12 were classified with dengue haemorrhagic fever.

By MART D. SAMBALUD
Davao Today

STO. TOMAS, Davao del Norte, Philippines — A total of 279 dengue cases that hit children between five to 15 year olds have been recorded by the Municipal Health Office (MHO) here for the calendar year 2012.

Esmeralda Alforque, the town’s Rural Sanitary Inspector, told davaotoday.com that cases of this deadly mosquito-borne virus have reached an alarming rate.

“We are currently monitoring the various villages particularly those areas where mosquitoes carrying the virus believed to be lurking in. Part of our monitoring in the community is educating the young children to avoid areas where we identified as hotspots of mosquitoes,” she said.

Meanwhile, Tagum City reported a staggering 955 cases of dengue.

Alforque explained that Aedes aegypti is the principal mosquito vector of dengue. These adult mosquitoes shelter usually indoors and bite during the daytime as they are well-adapted to breed around human dwellings, in water containers, vases, cans, old tires and other discarded objects, among others.

“When we conduct community visits in some noted villages and other areas where we obtained sample eggs of the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, we do remind the local residents to always inspect their surrounding for possible areas which these mosquitoes potentially breed,” she said.

There were nine villages noted to have been repeatedly hit by the mosquito-borne virus, namely, Balagunan, Kimamon, Tibal-og (poblacion), San Jose, Kinamayan, La Libertad, Bobongon, New Visayas and Casi-ang. The village of Tibal-og ranked first with 14 documented dengue cases.

“We are intensifying our dengue awareness program through our information and educational campaign in communities, schools and health centers,” Alforque stressed.

The health office here has encouraged townsfolk to always observe the 4 o’clock habit in line with the Department of Health’s campaign to fight dengue with the theme “Sugpuin ang Dengue! Mag 4 o’clock Habit araw araw: Stop, Look, Listen. Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue. Pagtibayin!”

Alforque said that their office is always open for free check-up services and medicines. She also encouraged the locals to see them for coordination, platelet count screening, among other concerns, in case signs and symptoms of dengue have been manifested. (Mart D. Sambalud/davaotoday.com)