Naga City health office steps up dengue campaign

By Analiza S. Macatangay

Monday 2nd of July 2012

NAGA CITY, July 2 (PIA) -- Local health authorities stepped up its campaign to eliminate breeding sites of dengue-carrying mosquitoes and avoid the increase of fatalities.

This, after the first fatality was reported last week.

Mayor John Bongat declared the city under state of calamity since May, after there was a 105 percent increase in dengue case recorded by the City Health Office.

The declaration placed the 27 barangays under a vigilant and close watch for dengue attack. The cases went down for a while during the first three weeks of June, but got an unexpected turnaround when the rainy season started.

City Health Officer Dr. Vito Borja said last month the cases were down to 86.8 percent after they distributed supplies of PesGuard, a spray concentrate used for thermal fogging.

They have already sprayed it to almost all public schools in the city, including barangays with high cases of dengue.

The office also allocated Sumilarv 0.56, a chemical that kills mosquito eggs even before they can be hatched and pose great dengue threat to the community.

“We have already employed all the necessary steps to eliminate breeding sites but we admit that we cannot do it alone. We need the help of the community to conduct their own clean up drives and ensure that their houses are free from possible areas where these mosquitoes might populate,“ Borja said in an interview.

Barangay Calauag was among the top three barangays that had the most number of cases in the city, along with Barangays Dayangdang and Igualdad, occupying the top and second places, respectively.

Borja also reminded the city’s constituents to remember that the 4S is the best way to combat dengue.

On top of the list is to search and destroy dengue breeding sites. This would entail cooperation from each household to ensure that the surroundings are free from clutters and presence of water habitat which can be a potential breeding area.

Next is for the patients to seek an immediate medical attention once fever sets in.

Doctors are also advising the populace to be also responsible by employing self-protection measures such as wearing pants, long sleeves and application of insect repellants. Saying no to indiscriminate fogging is also part of the measures.

Discriminate or responsible fogging, Borja said can be employed when a certain area is already under dengue attack.

Aedes Aegypti and Aedes Albopictus were identified as dengue carriers.
Symptoms to watch for if inflicted with the dengue H-fever include sudden rise of fever within the duration of 2-7 days, body ache, head ache and feeling of restlessness. Small patches might start to show up, stomach ache, gum and nose bleeding and vomiting among others. (LSM-PIA 5, Camarines Sur)