CEBU CITY – The province of Bohol is set to be placed under a state of calamity due to the increasing cases of the mosquito-borne disease dengue.
AUMENTADO (FB)
The Provincial Anti-Dengue Task Force has recommended through a resolution that Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado declare a dengue outbreak in the province.
In a meeting on Monday, September 2, at the provincial capitol in Tagbilaran City, the task force disclosed that from January to August this year, 5,839 dengue cases with 14 deaths have been recorded in the province.
This is 451.4 percent higher compared to the same period last year with only 971 cases, surpassing the epidemic threshold as reported by the Provincial Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (PESU).
The epidemic threshold is the level at which the number of dengue cases exceeds the average number in the last five years.
Based on the PESU report, 24 towns in the province are already qualified to declare the outbreak while several towns are potential outbreaks.
Towns that are above the epidemic threshold are Anda, Alicia, Baclayon, Balilihan, Candijay, Dauis, Garcia Hernandez, Getafe, Inabanga, Mabini, Maribojoc, San Isidro, Sikatuna, Tagbilaran City, Talibon, Trinidad, and Tubigon.
Data was backed up by the Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Unit's report with Bohol's consolidated data, in which the epidemic threshold has exceeded for the past six morbidity weeks.
This comprised eight deaths recorded in August alone: Three in Tagbilaran City, two in Inabanga, and one each in Anda, Getafe, and Ubay.
"If you look at the numbers, it seems like it's already decreasing but it's too early to say that the current action is effective because it's just a week that the cases have decreased. We cannot still say that the trend will hold," said Dr. Van Philipp Baton of the Department of Health.
Aumentado assured that the provincial government, through the Provincial Health Office, has taken necessary actions to combat the rising dengue cases.
“We have started procuring IV fluids and dengue testing kits so we can protect our people,” said Aumentado.
The provincial government procured P5.3-million worth of IV fluids and testing kits, specifically for the dengue outbreak, along with additional beds to capacitate province-owned hospitals in Bohol.
Procured supplies have been distributed and available as confirmed by district hospital chiefs in Talibon and Carmen.