Health officials in Bohol brace for increase of dengue cases as the rainy season starts, noting on the already high incidence even in the preceding period of drought.

As of the last post in the first week of May, record of dengue cases already marked 59.9-percent increase compared to the same period last year.

It also alarmed the Provincial Health Office (PHO) that three of the dengue cases recorded from January to first week of May this year resulted to death.

The Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the PHO recorded 662 dengue cases during the period.

In the same period last year, the PHO recorded 414 dengue cases with three deaths also.

The dengue deaths this year came from Tagbilaran City, Inabanga, and Duero.

The PHO also noted that the top 10 areas with the most number of dengue cases- -Tubigon with 97 cases, followed by Tagbilaran with 71 cases; Talibon with 55 cases; Loon with 45 cases; Dauis with 41 cases; Ubay with 38 cases; Inabanga, 28; Duero, 20; and Carmen and Jagna, both with 18 cases.

In August last year, health officials of Sagbayan declared dengue outbreak in the town after accumulating a record of 98 dengue cases in just two months and one patient had died.

Fritzie Olaguer, coordinator of the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit Coordinator, said they noted that there are more dengue cases.

Olaguer explained that male victims have warmer blood and their skin easily gets moist which attract mosquitoes.

The PHO expects dengue cases to increase further in the last quarter of this year in time of the expected onset of La Niña phenomenon which will bring rains.

In January-May last year, Tagbilaran topped the record with 59 dengue cases; followed by Jagna with 29 cases; Garcia Hernandez, 21; Guindulman, 20; Dauis, 18 cases with one death; Carmen, 18; Panglao and Talibon, with 16 cases each; Loon and Maribojoc with 15 cases each.

Provincial health officer, Dr. Reymoses Cabagnot, reminded the public to continue observing the 4S campaign of the Department of Health against the spread of dengue virus.

The 4S stands for Search and destroy (breeding sites of mosquito), Self-protection measures, Seek early consultation, and Say “No” to indiscriminate fogging.

In the first two months this year, the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit already watched on Tagbilaran City which successively topped in dengue cases recorded in the last two years.

The dengue cases comparative statistics showed that Tagbilaran City posted 365 dengue cases in 2014 with three deaths, and 516 cases in 2015 with three deaths also.

In the 2015 record, Sagbayan ranked next to Tagbilaran City with 257 total dengue cases that included one death.

Loon followed with 140 cases with two deaths; then Dauis and Carmen with 132 cases, but Dauis record includes one death; and Calape and Inabanga with 121 cases each in the top five. The cases in Inabanga included one death.

In the 2014 record, Dauis ranked second to Tagbilaran City with 118 cases; followed by Carmen with 81 cases; Guindulman with 78 cases; and Jagna with 65 cases with one death.

Bilar which had 20 cases in 2014 had one death from dengue.

Panglao also posted one death from the 56 dengue cases in the town in 2014.

The PHO recorded a total of 1,685 dengue cases in the entire province in 2014, which increased to 2,883 cases in 2015.

The dengue fatality statistics also increased to 14 last year wherein the other deaths were recorded in Panglao, 2; Batuan, 2; Bilar, 1; and Cortes, 1.

The PHO noted a big increase of dengue cases in Sagbayan from 14 in 2014 to 257 in 2015, Calape from five to 121, Ubay from 18 to 55, Albur from five to 23, Batuan from three to 22, Dimiao from six to 27, Getafe from seven to 30, Lila from eight to 18, Loay from 9 to 29, Buenavista eight to 26, and Corella from 10 to 30 cases.

President Carlos P. Garcia posted the lowest rate from five to eight cases.

Inabanga also posted an increase from 43 to 121, Loon from 60 to 140, Panglao from 56 to 102, Maribojoc from 34 to 66, Jagna from 65 to 95, Tubigon from 40 to 84, Garcia-Hernandez from 43 to 65, Alicia from 11 to 17, Anda from 20 to 21, Antequera from 12 to 41, Baclayon from 29 to 46, Balilihan from 18 to 43, Bilar from 20 to 34, Catigbian from 19 to 58, Clarin from 27 to 47, Danao from 11 to 59, San Miguel from 10 to 16, Sevilla from 9 to 16, Sierra-Bullones from 28 to 39, and Trinidad from 21 to 25,

Decrease of dengue cases had been noted in Guindulman from 78 to 50, Valencia from 77 to 50, Bien Unido from 18 to eight, Duero from 32 to 27, Candijay from 26 to 18, Cortes from 44 to 29, Talibon from 54 to 47, Sikatuna from 10 to seven, Dagohoy from 19 to 18, Loboc from 26 to 18, Mabini from 23 to 14, and Pilar from 33 to 29.

San Isidro maintained the record from 13 in 2014 to 13 in 2015.