ILOILO CITY – The province of Iloilo has declared a state of calamity following a dengue outbreak to curb cases of the mosquito-borne disease.
DEFENSOR (Tara Yap)
The Iloilo Provincial Board approved the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council led by chairperson Gov. Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr.
The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) recorded 5,836 dengue cases with 10 fatalities in 42 towns and a component city from January 1 to August 17, 2024.
The component city of Passi had the highest number of dengue cases in the province with 437.
Defensor said that a state of calamity declaration will fast-track the release of funds to address the outbreak.
The Iloilo Provincial Board approved a P13.6-million calamity fund for the purchase of spraying equipment and chemical sprays, intravenous fluids for district hospitals, and dengue test kits.
Provincial health chief Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon said the IPHO is closely coordinating with local government units (LGUs) and rural health units (RHUs) for dengue response mechanisms.