CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — There is a 56.56 percent increase in dengue cases in Northern Mindanao from January 1 to August 24, compared to the same period last year with only 10,091 cases. That is why the Department of Health Center for Health Development Northern Mindanao (DOH-CHDNM) urges residents to conduct not weekly but daily ‘search and destroy’ of mosquito breeding sites.
Eliminating stagnant water and its containers is one of the 4S strategies against dengue.
“Kung walay container nga ka breed-an, walay ma-produce nga lamok. Gihangyo namo nga mag-search and destroy daily. Daily ang pagyabo sa tubig kay rampant na ang cases, especially kung naay silingan nga nagka-dengue, search and destroy before fogging,” said Gemma Uy, Medical Technologist IV of the DOH-CHDNM, during the Talakayan sa PIA: Konsultayo series at SM CDO City Uptown.
(If there is no container that can allow breeding, mosquitoes won’t be produced. We kindly request a daily search and destruction. Daily fogging because the cases are rampant, especially if there is a neighbor who has dengue; search and destroy before fogging)
Although Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for dengue virus, will not choose the age or gender of the victim, the most common age group with dengue cases are those from five to nine years old.
Uy cited that there is no medicine or vaccine for dengue at present, saying, “Supportive treatment lang ta, symptomatic, kung unsay gibati sa patient, gihilantan, tagaan siya og paracetamol, nagdepende lang kung unsay symptoms sa patient, mao nang dapat mo0consult gyud siya og doctor,” she said.
(We only have supportive treatment, symptomatic, how the patient feels, fever, give him paracetamol; it just depends on the patient’s symptoms; that’s why you should really consult a doctor.)
There are already 15, 798 dengue cases from January 1 to August 24 in the region. Bukidnon leads the province with 6,693 cases, followed by Misamis Oriental (2,797), Misamis Occidental (2,314), Lanao del Norte (1,696), Cagayan de Oro City (1,183), Iligan City (901), and Camiguin (214).
Meanwhile, there are 84 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 0.53 percent.
Three categories exist for dengue: dengue without warning signs, dengue with warnings, and severe dengue.
According to Uy, rural health units (RHUs) can handle dengue without warning signs, as well as dengue with warning signs. She urged those with fevers to rush to the nearest RHU to determine whether it is dengue and for proper management. Level 3 hospitals, on the other hand, specialize in treating severe dengue due to their extensive equipment, including ventilators.
Uy urged communities and residents to aggressively implement the 4S in their households or neighborhoods. These include “search and destroy” mosquito breeding places, “secure self-protection” from mosquito bites, “seek early consultation” when signs and symptoms of dengue occur, and “say yes to fogging” as a last resort when there is an impending outbreak.
“We cannot afford to lose another life added to our mortality,” Uy said. (JMOR/PIA-10)
