Carreta now has most dengue cases in city

CEBU, Philippines - Barangay Carreta posted the highest number of dengue cases of all barangays in Cebu City for the first two months of the year.

Guadalupe, the biggest barangay in the city, was formerly on top of the list but is now in sixth place with only seven dengue cases for the same period.

Durinda Macasucol, assistant head of the City Epidemiology Surveillance and Statistics Unit, said Carreta had 11 cases for the same period, although there were no casualties reported.

Carreta has more than 7,000 residents based on the 2000 survey.

Macasucol said there were 154 reported dengue cases in the city’s private and public hospitals from January to February this year.

Five dengue-related deaths were reported within the same period. The victims come from barangays Labangon, Lorega-San Miguel, Binaliw, Guadalupe and Camputhaw.

But this is small compared to last year’s figures; 15 dead and 299 infected during the same period.

Macasucol said by the end of February dengue cases had been reported in 45 of the city’s 80 barangays and most of those afflicted were males aged from five to 38. — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP (THE FREEMAN)