2013: Lesser dengue cases in Cebu City

CEBU, Philippines - Cases of dengue in Cebu City have significantly declined last year compared to 2012, based on the record of the City Health Department - City Epidemiology Statistics and Surveillance Unit.

Cebu City councilor Lea Japson, head of the Committee on Health, presented during Monday's regular session statistics that showed that dengue cases in the city declined by almost half with 2,558 dengue cases recorded from January to December last year compared to last 2012's 4,057 cases.

Japson further showed that there were five dengue-related deaths in 2013, which also decreased from the 13 deaths recorded in 2012.

The Health Committee's report further showed that in 2013, 53.70 percent of the recorded cases were male while 46.30 percent were female, which is parallel to 2012's figure since 51.4 percent affected were male while 48.60 percent were female.

Children as early as six months old and adults as old as 70 years old tested positive of dengue both in 2012 and in 2013 while the youngest dengue victim in 2011 was only two months only.

Barangay Guadalupe, the largest of the 80 barangays in Cebu City, has consistently been the number one in the list of barangays with the most number of dengue cases. However, the recorded number of cases has decreased in 2013 with 184 compared to 2012 which had 329 cases.

Apart from Barangay Guadalupe, barangays Labangon, Tisa and Talamban also tops the list with the most number of dengue cases while other barangays which also had dengue victims include barangays Basak-San Nicolas, Lahug, Punta Princesa, Kamputhaw, Inayawan, Apas, Sambag Dos, Mambaling, Bacayan, Mabolo, Kalunasan, Capitol Site, and Sambag Uno.

Councilor Nida Cabrera, head of the Committee on Environment, urged the top three barangays to submit a copy of their counter-measures against dengue to eventually address the health problem.

The City Health Department further recorded that the victims usually acquired dengue in the months of July to December or during the rainy seasons.

In 2012, The Cebu City Health Department strengthened its defense measures against the infectious tropical disease. Among others, each barangay has its own barangay dengue brigade.— /ATO (FREEMAN)