ILOILO CITY (PIA) - - A caravan was held on June 13 in Jordan town to mark the  "Dengue Awareness Month" in the island province of Guimaras.

Organized by the province of Guimaras through its Provincial Health Office, the caravan was participated in by the different national government agencies such as the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Department of Health - Provincial Office, PNP-Highway Patrol Group; the rural health units of the five local government units in the island; Philippine Pediatric Society Western Visayas and other stakeholders.

Presidential Proclamation No. 1204 series 1998 declares the month of June as the National Dengue Awareness Month in the country. This year’s celebration has the theme “Crush DENGUE, para ‘di maglanding on you!”

Among the five municipalities of the province, Nueva Valencia recorded the highest number of dengue cases with 11, Jordan had six, San Lorenzo with five, and Buenavista with four.

The province has not recorded any death due to dengue fever. 

The Provincial Government of Guimaras aims to spread awareness on the prevention and control of dengue to prevent another outbreak of the disease from happening.

Guimaras was placed under a state of calamity in 2019 due to the outbreak of the mosquito-borne illness.

Dengue is being spread by the Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes year-round; it is incurable and can be fatal to anyone afflicted, particularly the children. 

Symptoms include severe fever and rashes, among others. (JBG/Guimaras PIO/laf/PIA6-Iloilo)