DENGUE cases in Pangasinan totaled only 590 from January to September this year, a sharp drop from the 2,040 recorded in the same period last year.

The number of deaths also dropped significantly from 23 last year to 12 this year, according to health education promotion officer Priscilla Bersamin of the provincial health office.

Bersamin told the Pantongtongan Tayo radio program of the Philippine Information Agency over DZMQ-Radyo ng Bayan last Tuesday that the public is now more aware of the dangers brought by dengue to health with the continuous information dissemination campaign by the health department and other concerned agencies as well as the municipal task forces.

She said that the PHO advocacy campaign “4S” has created an impact on the people. This is seen, she said, in the sharp decrease in the number of dengue cases this year.

“4S” stands for search and destroy, seek early consultation, self-protection, and say no to indiscriminate fogging.

Unless there is an outbreak in an area, fogging is discouraged by the health office, she said. Larvae are destroyed by putting chemicals on the stagnant water. Used motor oil and salt may also be used to kill the larvae, she added.

On other health campaigns, the PHO has mobilized its field units to undertake measles vaccination for children aged nine months to four years in line with the “Knockout Tigdas” program of the Department of Health, she said.

The anti-measles campaign runs from October 15 to November 15. The activity is a follow-up to the earlier anti-measles campaign in the previous years.

Deworming and administration of Vitamin A are also part of the program, she said.

She noted that people’s old beliefs and attitudes regarding measles have already changed. Complications and even deaths have resulted due to such wrong beliefs, it was noted. (PIA/DOS)