11-year-old dies of dengue; parents "hid" real address

CEBU, Philippines - An 11-year-old boy from barangay Tisa died of dengue last August 22 but his death was recorded with the city health department only yesterday because his parents registered a different address when the boy was brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Durinda Macasocol, assistant chief of the City Epidemiology Statistics and Surveillance Unit, said reasons of hiding the family’s real address remain unclear but the death of Rhuie Jay Labrador has brought to 22 the number of dengue-related deaths in the city since January this year.

Labrador’s case is the second death in barangay Tisa in the same period. Last year, the city health department recorded 36 dengue-related deaths in the same period.

Labrador’s death even prompted congressional aspirant Jonathan “Atan” Guardo to launch his own dengue information campaign, which was welcomed by Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Rumors are persistent that Guardo and Osmeña will fight it out in next year’s polls for the congressional seat in the city’s south district.

With the advent of the rainy season, city health officials once again reminded the public to be vigilant against dengue.

This week alone, a 13-year-old resident of barangay Luz, a student of the Labangon-based Cebu City National Science High School, and a 10-year-old boy from barangay Mambaling also died of dengue.

By far, the city health department recorded three deaths in barangay Camputhaw, three in Labangon, two in Guadalupe, two in Lorega, two in Carreta, two in Mambaling, two in Tisa, and one each from Talamban, Basak-San Nicolas, Luz, Pardo, Binaliw and Sudlon II. — Rene U. Borromeo/JMO (THE FREEMAN)