By DANNY O. SAGUN
PIA Dagupan Infocenter

DENGUE fever cases recorded last month reached 22, as culled from various private hospitals and the Region 1 Medical Center figures, more than double compared to the same period last year, the city health disclosed Tuesday.

This developed despite the launching last year of “Operation Itaob Mo,” a campaign against dengue, prompting health authorities to raise alert levels and asking the populace in the city’s 31 barangays not to be complacent.

Ten cases were recorded in January 2006

A press release from the City Information Office said Barangay Lucao has the most number of cases with five patients
reported. Barangays Pogo Chico, Pogo Grande, Bonuan Gueset and Caranglaan posted two cases each.

City health officer Leonardo Carbonell urged the public to always observe the so-called “4-S” which advises the public to seek early consultation and destroy possible breeding places of mosquitoes.

Day biting mosquitoes aedes egypti and aedes albopictus thrive in clean stagnant waters found in flower vases, tires, bottles, gutters and other containers. “Kahit na wala pang tag-ulan kung napabayaan natin ang puedeng pamahayan ng lamok, mayro’t mayrong lalabas na dengue cases,” he noted.

Apparently, the barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections
last year affected the campaign against dengue, he told the Pantongtongan Tayo radio program of the Philippine Information Agency last Tuesday over Radyo ng Bayan DZMQ.

Admitting that the city or the country as a whole could not entirely eradicate the disease no matter the intensified campaign, Carbonell said Dagupan wanted to maintain “zero death” and reduce the number of cases.

Fatality rate for dengue is from three to five percent but the rate here in Pangasinan including the city is less than one percent, he disclosed.

Up to now, no vaccine has been discovered yet for the disease which has four strains. The most effective way to contain it is by maintaining cleanliness and sanitation and eliminating all possible breeding places, he stressed. (DOS)