Lapu Dengue Cases Dip By 65 Percent

[Medic Mike]

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

THE Lapu-Lapu City Health Office recorded 96 cases of dengue fever from January to June this year, a decrease of 65 percent from last year.

Among all the 30 barangays, Basak had the highest number of cases at 27, followed by Gun-ob at 11. The office reported no deaths.

In 2013, the City Health Office reported 510 cases, with Basak having the highest number of cases at 96. Of the cases, 278 were reported from January to June.

This year, 10 cases were reported from Pusok and nine from Pajo. Other barangays with cases of dengue fever are Mactan, Looc, Pajac, Agus, Babag, Marigondon, Canjulao, Poblacion and Buaya. Most of the cases were reported last February, with 32.

Basak, one of the lowest-lying barangays in Lapu-Lapu, has topped the list of barangays with dengue fever cases since 2011.

The City Government has taken measures to address flooding in Basak, including de-clogging and expanding drainage.

Among the measures being taken by the City Health Office to combat dengue fever is distributing a chemical solution called “Abate” to the barangays to keep stagnant water from becoming breeding grounds for dengue virus-carrying mosquitoes.

They also distributed ova and larval traps, which are made of tin cans with the chemical solution, to schools and households.

The City has also been doing weekly cleanup drives in the barangays to combat the disease.

City Health Officer Dr. Rodolfo Berame earlier said he has tasked barangay sanitary inspectors to monitor schools regularly and make sure possible breeding places for mosquitoes are eradicated.

Berame noted that most of the victims of dengue fever are children.

 

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 09,