Another child dies of dengue

CEBU, Philippines - Another child in Cebu City died of dengue last Tuesday, a few days after he was bitten by a mosquito.

Six-year-old Romualdo Meniao, a resident of sitio Sudlon, barangay Lahug, became the first fatality of dengue in that barangay for this year.

Meniao was brought by his parents to Cebu City Medical Center on August 25 after he experienced high fever, but he expired the following day and became the fourth casualty of dengue in the city in just a week.

Although Lahug barangay captain Mary Ann Delos Santos is allied with the opposition party, the personnel of the City Health Department said they will still conduct mist spraying at the victim’s house hoping to kill the adult mosquitoes with dengue virus.

Records show that so far Lahug has 36 recorded cases of dengue since January. Lahug is also sixth in the list of barangays with the highest number of dengue cases.

On top of the list is barangay Guadalupe followed by barangays Kamputhaw, Talamban, Basak-San Nicolas, Labangon, Lahug, Luz, Punta Princesa, Tisa and Mambaling.

The other day three other children also died of dengue in barangay Tisa, Luz and Mambaling.

It was learned that the dengue victims are mostly males with ages ranging from five months to 70 years old.

The number of dengue-related fatalities in Cebu City since January has already reached 23, but the statistics is still comparatively lower than the 38 deaths for the same period last year.

Dengue deaths are three from Camputhaw, three from Labangon, two from Guadalupe, two from Lorega, two from Carreta, two from Mambaling, two from Tisa, and one each from barangays Talamban, Basak-San Nicolas, Luz, Pardo, Binaliw, Lahug and Sudlon II. — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP