The number of dengue fever cases in Eastern Samar for the first eight months of 2016 have more than doubled the cases reported during all of 2015, which has prompted health officials to describe the situation as “alarming”.
According to Mrs. Concesa Balanga, Provincial Dengue Coordinator for the Provincial Health Office (PHO), from January to the last week of August this year, 765 cases including one fatality have been reported. This compares to all of last year which saw 338 dengue cases with no fatality.
Balanga notes, “Even if said figure is quite alarming due to the increase, still, there is no epidemic.”
The increase in dengue in the region has prompted the Department of Health (DOH) to seek early medical consultation if suffering from dengue fever.
In the northern Philippines in Pangasinan province, more than a dozen cities and towns have been placed under a “leptospirosis watch” after at least 33 cases of the bacterial infection have been recorded , including four deaths.
Four deaths have been recorded, one each from San Nicolas, Tayug, Manaoag and Mangaldan.
Provincial health officer, Dr. Anna Maria Teresa de Guzman, warned the people to guard against leptospirosis, a disease that is caused by bacteria entering the body through open wounds in the feet when one wades through floodwaters contaminated with mice urine.
In addition, she advised people to wear boots if they intend to wade through flooded areas.
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