DIPOLOG CITY, Zamboanga del Norte, Sept. 22 (PIA) - Dengue cases are significantly increasing in the province for the past months since the onset of the rainy season, and even then, with the looming threat of drought.
This year alone, for the period of January to September 4, a total of 2,413 dengue cases were recorded by the Provincial Department of Health Office (PDOHO), in coordination with the Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Health Office (PHO).
The data shows a notable increase as compared to the 2,386 recorded cases in the year 2022, considering it is still in the third quarter of the year 2023.
Moreover, Dengue has already caused 13 deaths as of late, comparably higher than the 10 deaths recorded in the previous year.
Of the 27 cities and municipalities, Sindangan town records the most number of Dengue cases with 551 cases, followed by Dipolog City with 384 cases, Dapitan City with 192 cases, and Siayan town with 173 cases.
Data shows children aged 1-10 years old were listed amongst the most vulnerable and affected by Dengue recording about 1,193 of the total cases.
Both the PDOHO and PHO are conducting heightened monitoring and surveillance to address the pressing concern of Dengue in the province.
Likewise, the health offices urged the public to religiously practice the "4 o’clock habit" at home and in the communities on a daily basis to prevent cases of dengue from rising.
The 4 o’clock habit is primarily focused on “searching and destroying” mosquitoes’ breeding places like stagnant water, and clearing corners of unused containers, receptacles, bottles, tires, piles of leaves, and other accumulated waste that cause the dengue plague.
The dengue virus is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito. While the majority of dengue cases are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms, it can manifest as a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults, but seldom causes death, according to the World Health Organization.
Symptoms usually last for 2–7 days, after an incubation period of 4–10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito. (RVC/EDT/PIA9-Zamboanga del Norte/with reports from Mishel B. Montederamos, ZN-PIC)
