BAGUIO CITY November 12 – The Cordillera office of the Department of Health (DOH-CAR) reported that dengue fever cases regionwide continue to increase because the dreaded illness has become an all-weather illness that continues to affect the population.
From January 1 to October 31 this year, DOH-CAR was able to record 8,75 total dengue fever cases in the different parts of the region compared to the 2,111 cases reported in the same period last year representing a 313 percent increase.
Mountain Province recorded the highest increase in dengue fever cases with a total of 313 cases from January 1 to October 31 this year compared to the 78 cases tallied by health authorities during the same period last year or equivalent to a 734 percent increase.
Kalinga came in second recording a 623 percent increase in dengue cases with 2,226 dengue cases for the same period compared to the 308 cases for the similar period last year.
Some 821 dengue cases were reported in Apayao from January 1 to October 31 this year which is 451 percent higher compared to the 149 cases in the same period last year placing the province as the third highest area that tallied increases in the dreaded illness.
Non-CAR dengue cases placed fourth with a 393 percent increase following the 680 dengue fever cases this year compared to the 138 cases during the same period last year.
Baguio City registered a 302 percent increase in dengue fever cases this year after it was able to document 1,227 dengue cases for the period compared to the 305 cases for the same period last year.
Ifugao reported a 293 percent increase in dengue cases after it tallied 636 cases from January 1 to 31 this year compared to the 162 cases recorded for the same period last year.
For the period January 1 to October 31 this year, Benguet reported a 230 percent increase in dengue cases after it reported 1,575 cases compared to the recorded 477 for the same period last year.
Abra recorded the least increase in dengue cases with only 84 percent following the reported 908 cases for the prescribed period compared to the 494 cases for the same period last year.
The DOH-CAR reported that at present, there were already 14 deaths due to dengue with Baguio having the highest fatalities with 4 followed by Abra with 3, 2 deaths each were reported in Apayao, Kalinga and non-CAR patients while Mountain province had one death.
Health authorities advised individuals having influenza-like symptoms to immediately seek medical attention from the nearest medical facilities in their places so that appropriate interventions could be done to prevent their illness from worsening that would compromise their health condition.