The number of dengue-related deaths in the province of Iloilo has risen to 10, according to the Provincial Health Office (PHO).
The fatalities were reported in Passi City (1) and the towns of Miagao (2) Badiangan (2), Lambunao (1), Dingle (1), Igbaras (1), Barotac Nuevo (1), and Banate (1).
The youngest fatality was a three-year-old girl from Banate while the oldest was a 41-year-old woman from Barotac Nuevo, data from PHO showed.
Currently, there are 241 dengue patients confined in various district hospitals in the province.
From January 1 to August 10 this year, PHO logged a total of 4, 595 dengue cases, higher by 320 percent compared to 1,095 cases registered in the same period last year.
Passi City recorded the highest number of cases in the province at 341, followed by Oton (223), Dingle (210), Lambunao (201) and Dumangas (187).
Calinog ranked sixth with 183 cases, followed by Barotac Nuevo (172), Janiuay (164), Badiangan (161), and San Dionisio (141).
Dengue, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), “is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness and, sometimes causing a potentially lethal complication called severe dengue.” Its symptoms include fever, severe pain, headache, nausea, vomiting, and skin rashes.
Aedes aegypti is the principal carrier of the dengue virus. This species of mosquito, which is also called tiger mosquito, can be identified by the white bands on its legs and a silver-white pattern of scales on its body. Its peak biting time is after sunrise and at dusk one hour before sunset.IMT
