Valenzuela removed from DOH dengue list

The Department of Health (DOH) lifted yesterday the "hot spot" status of Valenzuela City after local health authorities successfully contained dengue cases there.

Dr. Eric Tayag, head of DOH’s National Epidemiology Center, said Tatalon in Quezon City and Dagat-Dagatan in Navotas are still considered hot spot areas for dengue.

Tayag noted that a place is considered hot spot if there is a high incidence of dengue there for four consecutive weeks.

According to Dr. Manuel Mapue, chief epidemiologist of Valenzuela City and district epidemiologist for Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela, the city registered only nine dengue cases last week.

In Valenzuela, dengue cases were concentrated in Malinta and Marulas.

Earlier, the DOH also declared Commonwealth, Batasan and Payatas as hotspot areas for dengue, but the status had been lifted.

Nationwide, the DOH registered 21,250 dengue cases from Jan. 1 to Sept. 22, 2006. This is 23.3 percent lower than the 27,705 cases during the same period last year.

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III asked the public not to let their guard down against dengue although the dengue season is expected to be over before the month ends.

Duque added that communities must continue eliminating the possible breeding sites of mosquitoes which spread dengue.