Councilors curious of mountain brgys' "secret" vs dengue

CEBU - The Cebu City Council will be inviting officials from 11 mountain barangays to share how they are able to prevent the proliferation of dengue in their jurisdictions.

Barangays in lowland Cebu have been suffering from the dengue since last year but the city’s Epidemiology Statistics and Surveillance Unit observed that barangays Agsungot, Babag I, Buot-taup, Malubog, Pamutan, Pit-os, Sudlon I, Sudlon II, Tabunan, Tagbao and Taptap have maintained a zero death rate.

Assistant epidemiology chief Durenda Macasucol said it is possible that the daily routine of people in mountain areas to burn fallen leaves every afternoon might have contributed to driving away insects, including dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

The residents of these barangays said there are also mosquitoes in their places, particularly during early evening but they believed that these insects are not afflicted with the dengue virus.

“Nabatasan na man g’yod ni namo diri Dong nga manilhig inigkahapon unya ang among sinilhig, among dauban para usab pang-abog sa mga lamok nga pwerteng dagkoa,” a resident of barangay Busay said.

Since January there are only seven dengue cases in barangay Busay but none of those afflicted died.

The dengue-carrying mosquitoes have already claimed the lives of 40 people and hospitalized close to 1,000 others in Cebu City alone from January to September 20.

While the number of dengue cases this year is much lower compared to the same period in 2007, the number of casualties had went up from 23 to 40. – Rene U. Borromeo/JMO (THE FREEMAN)