Iloilo City logged two deaths due to dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, in the first month of 2023.
The fatalities were a 28-year-old male garbage collector from Mandurriao district and a 15-year-old male from Arevalo district.
The two were among the 38 dengue cases recorded by the City Health Office (CHO) from January 1 to 31 this year.
Lapuz district accounted for the highest number of cases at 15, followed by Arevalo, 7; Mandurriao, 5; Jaro, 5; Molo, 3; City Proper, 2; and La Paz, 1.
“What worries us is that this will be the fourth year prior to that last that we had dengue outbreak; the last was 2019. It’s only January and we already have two deaths,” Fortuna said in a press conference on Wednesday Feb. 1.
He urged the public to strengthen their practice of the “4S” strategy to stop the further increase of cases and prevent an outbreak.
4S stands for Search and destroy, Secure self-protection, Seek early consultation, and Support spraying or misting.
Dengue, which mainly affects children, is transmitted through the bite of an Aedes mosquito, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dengue symptoms include sudden onset of fever for two to seven days and at least two of the following: headache, body weakness, joint and muscle pains, pain behind the eyes, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea and skin rashes.IMT
