By Chito Chavez
With the rise in deaths due to dengue in recent months, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has ordered an intensified anti-dengue drive in the city’s 10 barangays with the most number of dengue cases.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte
(Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte official Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN) These are Barangays Fairview, Payatas, Commonwealth, Holy Spirit, Batasan, Pasong Tamo, Bagong Silangan, Bagbag, Tandang Sora, and Tatalon. Belmonte said the Quezon City Health Department and barangay health workers have intensified the daily search and destroy and spraying efforts in the affected barangays. Belmonte also issued a memorandum mandating public schools to encourage students to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. "This is one of the city’s immediate actions as we learned that the age group most hit by dengue is children one to 10 years old," Belmonte stressed. There are 3,502 dengue cases in Quezon City with 29 deaths from January to August 10, 2019. Records showed this is 15 percent lower compared to the same period last year. Belmonte assured that the local government is intensifying its awareness campaign, clean-up drives, and spraying as part of measures to combat dengue. She also called on residents to cooperate with the local government’s efforts to fight dengue, especially spraying, which has been long proven to be effective, to prevent an impending outbreak. “Simultaneously, we are employing active fever surveillance and the use of NS1 rapid diagnostic tests to diagnose dengue early. Once dengue is detected, our health workers immediately address it to avoid further complications,” she added. Belmonte also reminded residents to always adhere to the Department of Health’s 5S campaign to fight dengue: SEARCH and destroy mosquito breeding sites; employ SELF-PROTECTION measures (i.e wearing long pants and long sleeved shirts, and daily use of mosquito repellent); SEEK early consultation; SUPPORT fogging/spraying; and SUSTAIN hydration by drinking plenty of fluids when sick. She encouraged residents to always keep their surroundings clean and to fully support the local government's intensified campaign against dengue.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte(Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte official Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN) These are Barangays Fairview, Payatas, Commonwealth, Holy Spirit, Batasan, Pasong Tamo, Bagong Silangan, Bagbag, Tandang Sora, and Tatalon. Belmonte said the Quezon City Health Department and barangay health workers have intensified the daily search and destroy and spraying efforts in the affected barangays. Belmonte also issued a memorandum mandating public schools to encourage students to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. "This is one of the city’s immediate actions as we learned that the age group most hit by dengue is children one to 10 years old," Belmonte stressed. There are 3,502 dengue cases in Quezon City with 29 deaths from January to August 10, 2019. Records showed this is 15 percent lower compared to the same period last year. Belmonte assured that the local government is intensifying its awareness campaign, clean-up drives, and spraying as part of measures to combat dengue. She also called on residents to cooperate with the local government’s efforts to fight dengue, especially spraying, which has been long proven to be effective, to prevent an impending outbreak. “Simultaneously, we are employing active fever surveillance and the use of NS1 rapid diagnostic tests to diagnose dengue early. Once dengue is detected, our health workers immediately address it to avoid further complications,” she added. Belmonte also reminded residents to always adhere to the Department of Health’s 5S campaign to fight dengue: SEARCH and destroy mosquito breeding sites; employ SELF-PROTECTION measures (i.e wearing long pants and long sleeved shirts, and daily use of mosquito repellent); SEEK early consultation; SUPPORT fogging/spraying; and SUSTAIN hydration by drinking plenty of fluids when sick. She encouraged residents to always keep their surroundings clean and to fully support the local government's intensified campaign against dengue.