BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera office of the Department of Health (DOH-CAR) said that dengue fever cases in the region dropped by an average of 19 percent for the first five weeks of the year compared to the cases that were recorded during the same period last year.
Victoria Malicdan, Nurse V of the DOH-CAR’s regional epidemiology and surveillance unit, said that from January 1 to February 1, 2025, there were already 491 dengue cases that were reported in the different parts of the region compared to the 605 cases reported during the same period last year.
For this year, Benguet had the highest number of dengue fever cases with 137 followed by Baguio City with 116 cases, Apayao – 91 cases, Kalinga – 48 cases, Mountain Province – 43 cases, Ifugao – 36 cases and Abra – 20 cases.
Last year, Benguet still recorded the highest number for dengue fever cases during the same reckoning period with 218 followed by Baguio City with 97 cases, Ifugao – 78 cases, Apayao – 72 cases, Mountain Province – 70 cases, Kalinga – 40 cases and Abra – 30 cases.
The DOH-Car official claimed that while dengue cases are decreasing in the region, there is also a concerning increase in said cases in Apayao, Kalinga and Baguio City during the current reckoning period.
Based on the data made available by the DOH-CAR, 34 barangays had clustering of cases that warranted the implementation of appropriate interventions from the concerned health offices in the affected areas.
Further, 276 dengue-afflicted individuals or 56 percent of the reported cases had been admitted in the different health facilities in the various parts of the region where they were provided with the necessary medical treatment.
Malicdan said that the health department remains committed in implementing increased awareness on the appropriate preventive measures, particularly the 4s strategy, to protect the members of the vulnerable and marginalized groups from contracting the deadly virus that might compromise their health condition.
Moreover, she assured that there will be a coordinated response among concerned government agencies and local governments in ensuring the implementation of the necessary programs, projects and activities that will protect the people from the prevalence of the said illness. By Dexter A. See
