Dengue updates

Dengue cases are on a downtrend, Baguio City Health Services Office (CHSO) head Dr. Rowena Galpo reported during the city executives’ management committee meeting last week.

Graphs on reported data show that cases peaked twice; from the periods, July 19 to 26, and Aug. 16 to 22, but numbers continue to slide down. 

From the records, there is a 139.79% increase of cases as there are 2,067 cases on Jan. 1 to Aug. 22, with 56 new cases and 2 deaths; as against 2021’s 862 during the same period, with six deaths.

This year and last year’s graphs however show a decrease during the same period.

According to Dr. Galpo, the number of barangays with clustered cases also went down, from 73 a week ago to 63. The decrease may be partially credited to Denguerra (war against Dengue) during Thursdays, an intensive search and destroy, and Oplan Taob. Earlier, in July, city employees joined Denguerra in barangays where Dengue cases were reported. 

Denguerra operations is now barangay-based where barangay officials, residents and volunteers join in intensive search and destroy operations to prevent mosquito-breeding places, Dr. Galpo reported. Water-logged plants are destroyed, while receptacles are overturned so as not to accumulate rain water and be mosquito egg-laying places.

Used tires which may be breeding places are also being collected by the General Services Office (GSO), with 2,679 gathered from 43 barangays since June 15.  

All efforts from government agencies, private entities and residents are done to bring down the number of Dengue cases. Considered in keeping Dengue at bay are clean-ups and oplan Taob, vigilance and barangay sanitary conditions.

Dr. Galpo further presented a summary of barangays with zero to two cases. Several barangays shall be recognized on a city hall flag-raising ceremony on a Monday or at the end of the Dengue season, she said. – JGF