Denguerra Thursday on third week
The third barangay-led Denguerra (War on Dengue) went on last Thursday as local officials, city hall employees, volunteers and other groups overturned and removed water-collecting receptacles and water-retaining plants, known as mosquito-breeding places.
According to Mayor Benjamin Magalong, the result of the intensive search and destruction for Dengue-causing Aedes aegypti larvae shall be known after four weeks, or by the end of July.
An increase in barangays with clustered cases, from 39 to 49 this week, was also presented during the executives’ management committee meeting.
In her report, Health Services Office (HSO) head Dr. Rowena Galpo informed the executives that there are now 53 new cases, from the 734 cases counted from Jan. 1 to July 2 as compared to the same period last year having 342 cases and five deaths. The Dengue epicurve also shows that the cases had a sudden peak in mid-June, earlier foreseen to be in July, meaning a faster increase of cases happened than expected.
The city’s first reported death from Dengue, a ten-year old boy from City Camp Central was clarified to have traveled outside the city. His death was also due to Dengue and a comorbidity parapneumonic effusion, or water in the lungs.
Dr. Galpo thus enjoins sectors from the church, business, volunteers, civic groups and private individuals to conduct activities which prevent mosquitoes from multiplying. It was noted that Aedes aegypti breeds in stagnant clean water, and according to City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit head Dr. Donna Tubera-Panes. The best time to prevent mosquitoes maturing into adults is the larval/water stage. Water containers need to be covered tightly, Dr. Galpo said. For this, Five hundred drum net covers are to be distributed in barangays having more Dengue cases.
Insecticide-treated curtains shall be provided to eight elementary and five high schools in barangays with increased cases.
Even the smallest liquid-collecting containers should be emptied or overturned to prevent mosquito eggs from thriving, Dr. Galpo said.
Supposedly a breeding place for mosquitoes, tires numbering to 1,873 have been picked up from 25 barangays, by the General Services Office. These shall be turned as furniture, vases, planting pots, or for any saleable or useful object.
An information and education campaign (IEC), Dengue caravan and a meet-up with the Department of Education (Dep-Ed) for dengue prevention are scheduled, Dr. Galpo said.
Individuals with Dengue symptoms; vomiting, fever, rashes, headache, joint pains, fatigue and pain behind the eyes are urged to proceed to their respective health centers or the nearest medical clinic for evaluation, and subsequently, treatment.
A Dengue fast lane is available at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and free laboratory procedures are available for suspected cases, as was stated in the Baguio City Anti-Dengue Ordinance (Ordinance 16, 2016.). – Julie G. Fianza
