Bulacan government steps up drive vs dengue

MALOLOS, Bulacan — Gov. Josefina dela Cruz has urged health authorities to intensify the campaign against the deadly dengue virus in the wake of its recent resurgence in several barangays in Bocaue town.

At least nine persons were reported to have been afflicted with the mosquito disease since August.

An 18-year-old girl from Barangay Bolakan in Bocaue was the latest reported dengue victim. No death was, however, reported from the new dengue outbreak.

Bocaue Mayor Eduardo Villanueva earlier told municipal health officer Dr. Corazon del Rosario to step up the information and cleanliness campaign in several villages in the town, especially in areas where pools of rainwater remain stagnant. Unclean stagnant water is one of the breeding places of mosquitos carrying the dengue virus.

Bocaue recently acquired two fogging machines, which are now being used in the anti-dengue fogging operations in the villages.

"The anti-dengue campaign needs the cooperation of everyone, and our efforts will be successful if all of us would work together," the governor said.

The towns in the first and fourth districts here lie along the coastlines of Manila Bay and are usually flooded after a heavy downpour, thus causing water stagnation.

Fogging would also be conducted in schools to prevent school children from being infected with the dengue virus.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported that the number of dengue cases this year is 47 percent higher than last year.

Dr. Jessie Fantone, DOH regional epidemiologist, said that in addition to the 10 reported dengue-related deaths in Angeles City, there are seven more deaths in other parts of Central Luzon. — With Ding Cervantes