LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Dengue cases in Benguet have been decreasing best on the latest report on September 12, 2024, but health officials continuously remind the public to help combat dengue.
Based on the latest data from the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit for week 36, covering September 1 to 7, 2024, there are 480 new dengue cases, making the total number of 7,016 cases in the province. The municipality of La Trinidad registered the highest number of cases, with 2,065 followed by Itogon with 867 cases. Kibungan recorded the fewest number of cases with 100. Meanwhile, there are two new deaths due to dengue, bringing to ten the total number of fatalities: five from La Trinidad, two each from Bokod and Tuba, and one from Tublay, from January 1 to September 7, 2024.
Dr. Meliarazon Dulay, a provincial health officer, stated that there is no treatment yet for dengue, that’s why they are making self-protection and prevention as the main step to fight dengue.
“We go on prevention, on health promotion. So…on the environmental side, isunga nga adda dagita kanayun nga panaglinlinis tapnu ma-eliminate daytoy dengue breeding sites karkaro ket panagtutudo manen, so hanggang barangay activated dagijay action kontra dengue. They have their own taskforce and also ‘yung sa monitoring cases,” she said.
“We go on prevention, (on) health promotion. So…on the environmental side, that’s why there’s continuous cleaning to eliminate the breeding sites, especially during this rainy season, so until barangay, action to fight dengue is activated as they have their own task force and also in monitoring cases.)
She also noted a decline in hospital admissions for dengue cases. They have distributed mosquito nets and insecticides to various municipalities and schools while they are in the process of procuring fogging machines and additional dengue kits. Furthermore, to protect students, an executive order from our governor to DepEd about the temporary suspension of wearing skirt uniforms and encouraged the use of long sleeves and pants for extra protection against mosquito bites.
“So, self-protection latta ken more on prevention iti dengue,” Dulay reiterated. By Joan Dalacan
