BAGUIO CITY - The Cordillera office of the Center for Health Development (CHD) was forced to declare a heightened alert on the dreaded dengue fever following a 90 percent increase in the cases in the different parts of the region for the first semester of the year.
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Based on reports gathered from 58 hospitals and health centers in the region, dengue fever cases rose to 550 cases from January 1 to the present compared to the 289 cases registered during the same period last year. This year, Ifugao recorded the highest number of dengue fever cases with 187 followed by Mountain province with 97 with reported clustering of cases in Callutit, Bontoc town.
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On the other hand, Benguet registered 72 cases with the capital town of La Trinidad having a significant increase in individuals affected by dengue fever over the past several weeks.
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Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) has chosen this mountain resort city as one of its key pilot areas for its zero dengue program but dengue fever cases are still on the rise, especially in populated barangays.
Kalinga reported only 27 cases while the conflict-stricken province of Abra had 26 cases during the said period based on the CHD-CAR report.
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Because of the exposure of children in contracting the illness, the health department is now assisting the Department of Education on massive information and education campaign to combat the continues increase in the proliferation of dengue-carrying mosquitoes not only in school but also in their respective houses.
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Among the practical preventive measures include the covering of water storage containers to prevent dengue-carrying mosquitoes from breeding, installation of screens on doors and windows, use of mosquito nets and insecticides if warranted.
Dr. Myrna Cabotaje, CHD-CAR regional director, explained suspected dengue fever cases must not self-medicate by taking in aspirin tablet to bring down fever but must be immediately brought to the nearest health facility for immediate medical attention.
The outset of the rainy season is considered to be the time for the rapid increase in dengue fever cases because of the existence of many breeding grounds of the mosquitoes in residential and public places.
According to her, people suffering from flu-like symptoms must immediately seek medical attention in the nearest health facility so that they will be properly diagnosed considering the expected rise in other rainy day diseases with the same symptoms which could complicate once an infected individual will not be given the appropriate diagnosis.
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Aside from dengue fever, other rainy day illnesses that are expected to increase in the coming days include the dreaded A (H1N1), cough, colds, diarrhea, ordinary flu, leptospirosis among others.
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Cabotaje advised people to keep their resistance strong by eating the right kind of food and keeping their surroundings clean so that they will be spared from the onslaught of the rainy day diseases which could result to the untimely death of individuals.
