TACLOBAN CITY -- The City Health Office (CHO) encourages the public to continue the preventive measures against dengue, as it recorded a spike in cases during the past few days.

From January 3 to November 19, 2022, a total of 443 cases were recorded by the CHO, compared to 56 in 2021, or 550% higher than the same period last year.

According to acting City Health Officer Danilo Ecarma, seven cases were recorded during the past week, including a seven-year-old fatality. The reported death brings the total number of mortalities in the city due to the viral disease to three.

The latest cases came from barangys 99, 78, 17, 96-A, and 50-B.

Per the monitoring of the CHO, no clustering of dengue cases was recorded in any city barangay.

Meanwhile, fumigation and information, education, and communication efforts by the CHO are ongoing in barangays and schools with reported cases.

The office also underlines the steps that must be taken in order to prevent dengue, such as covering water containers, maintaining a clean environment, donning protective clothes, supporting fogging or spraying only in areas where dengue cases have been proven, and obtaining early medical advice. (TCIO)