Dengue death toll in MisOr rises to 16

By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO

 

GINGOOG CITY – The province-wide information dissemination campaign and clean-up drive went into high gear Friday as deadly mosquito bites have already claimed the lives of 16 people while 962 persons were hospitalized at various hospitals since January up to Aug. 31 this year in Misamis Oriental alone, health authorities reported.

Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno said he has already mobilized all health personnel and other concerned departments of the province to help prevent the spread of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

However, Provincial Health Officer (PHO) Dr. Ignacio Moreno told the provincial chief executive that the province is still far from reaching the epidemic stage.

The heath officer said the national government can come in to intervene in an effort to prevent more casualties.

He said the PHO’s "Disease Surveillance Updates" are moving on a round-the-clock basis just to monitor the cases and implement corresponding medical response.

To date, Tagoloan town still has the most number of cases in Misamis Oriental, with 238 cases and two fatalities, followed by this city with 129 cases and one death; Jasaan with 78 cases and one death.

Dr. Moreno attributed the rising number of dengue cases in Tagoloan on its water supply, considering that most of the residents get their water from deep wells.

In an effort to avert the further spread of the dreaded disease, the provincial health officer mobilized a team that can be dispatched to areas where cases are high and conduct round-the-clock monitoring.