Girl, 5, dies of dengue

CEBU, Philippines – The dengue virus has claimed another life in Talisay City, bringing the number of fatalities to six.

The latest victim was five-year-old Ruby Jones Cabanero of sitio Tiago, Barangay San Isidro, who died of dengue while being treated in Miller Hospital in Cebu City last Sunday.

Roselle Lariosa, the victim's aunt, said Ruby was suffering from high fever and stomach pain for four days before she was admitted to the hospital. She was brought to Miller but since her platelet count was still normal she was sent back home.

The child was already complaining of stomach pains then, but her doctor had prescribed her a deworming drug instead. But when that drug did not alleviate her discomfort, they brought her again to the same hospital on Saturday.

Doctors had then noticed that her platelet count had dropped. The child expired Sunday night, said Lariosa, who came to the office of councilor Danny Caballero for financial assistance for their bills at the hospital which has reached P12,000.

The city social welfare office has given the family P6,000.

Ruby's elder sister, Pearl Kathleen, aged eight, was also treated for dengue last August 31, but has recovered from the illness.

Lariosa asked the city government to send its mist-blowing team to where she thinks the mosquitoes breed in their area.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health should be more specific where to declare a dengue outbreak since some areas are not experiencing a lot of dengue cases said Integrated Provincial Health Office medical specialist Catherine Marie Buscato.

"As far as I know dili pwede ma-declare by region or city ang outbreak, it should be by barangay kay not all barangays in that certain city are totally affected by dengue," she said.

DOH is to declare a dengue outbreak in Central Visayas.

According to Buscato an area will be declared an outbreak if the expected numbers of cases are more than the usual which will be based on the record of the last five years.

"We need to get the total number of cases for this year and compute for the average number before we compared it to the recorded result of the last five years, if taas ang increase outbreak na," Buscato said.

As of September 21, 1,609 dengue cases were recorded with 32 fatalities while the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit-Central Visayas recorded 1,095 cases in one week alone.

Toledo again tops the list of having the most number of dengue cases with three fatalities followed by Minglanilla, 122; Talisay City, 106; Danao, 100; Balamban, 89; Argao, 83; Medellin and Liloan, 76; Bogo, 71; Asturias, 53; and Daanbantayan 51. - Liv G. Campo and Ria Mae Y. Booc/BRP (FREEMAN)