A total of 18 Boholanos died of dengue fever last year as authorities warned of an increasing incidence of dengue with the rainy days expected to worsen this month.
The rainy days prompted health authorities in the province to double the information dissemination on dengue prevention, noting on the still high number of cases in recent years.
The Provincial Health Office, however, is still gathering the statistics for the first two weeks this year and the last two weeks in 2016.
The data available at the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH)-7 shows that Bohol recorded2,662 cases from January up to the second week of December 2016 wherein 18 had died.
A total of 1,685 dengue cases had been recorded in the entire province in 2014 with six deaths.
The number increased to 2,883 cases in 2015 with 14 deaths.
In 2013, dengue cases reached 3,590 with 26 deaths.
By middle of last year, the PHO already noted the alarming increase of dengue cases by 29.45 percent compared to the record in the same period in the previous year.
It alarmed the PHO that more than half of dengue cases in 2016 had been recorded in the first half of the year.
Within the first 226 days of 2016, dengue cases in Bohol already rose to 1,156.
By then, the province already recorded eight deaths from dengue infection.
The record also shows that in 2016, most of the dengue patients were in the age brackets of 1-5 years old and 11-15 years old.
The recent rainy days reminded health authorities of last year’s fast increase of dengue cases in the first four months.
By the first week of May last year, dengue cases in Bohol already marked a 59.9-percent increase compared to the same period in 2015.
During the period, three deaths from 662 dengue cases recorded.
In the same period in 2015, the PHO recorded 414 dengue cases with three deaths also.
The dengue deaths this came from Tagbilaran City, Inabanga, and Duero.
The Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the PHO is observing the pattern in reference to the weather, also in consideration of climate change.
The PHO also noted a slowdown on the increase of the cases to 893 by July last year.
Concern areas are also being tracked such as Tagbilaran City which had been topping the number of cases and Bien Unido which recorded four deaths during the period.
Dr. Reymosis Cabagnot, the provincial health officer, reiterated the warning to the public that dengue infection may be fatal but it can be prevented by prompt medical attention.
Even the transmission of the dengue virus can be prevented by getting rid of the breeding grounds of mosquitoes, he added.
Alarmed of the continued rise of dengue cases, the PHO called on the local government units to conduct dengue brigades in the barangays.
The PHO also called on the Department of Education to conduct dengue brigades in school campuses.
Hospitals are also asked to provide fast lanes for dengue patients to be able to attend to promptly provide medical intervention.
The ongoing information dissemination in the barangays prioritize the DOH’s 4S approach wherein the 4S stands for Search and Destroy (breeding grounds of mosquitoes); Self-Protection measures such use of insect repellants or mosquito nets or wearing of long sleeves to protect skin from mosquito bites; Seek early medication; and Say “No†to indiscriminate fogging.