Quezon City dengue cases drop 22 percent

Dengue cases in Quezon City went down by a fifth in the first seven months from the same period last year despite the government's declaration of national dengue epidemic.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said the number of dengue cases in Quezon City from January to July 2019 dropped by 22 percent compared with the same period from last year.

Citing a report from Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (QC-ESU), Belmonte said a total of 2,730 dengue cases with 21 casualties were reported from January 1 to July 27, 2019. In 2018, there were 3,498 cases and 26 deaths in the same time span.

In 2017, the city recorded 7,527 dengue cases with 75 deaths while there were 8,158 cases with 74 deaths in 2018.

Despite the drop in dengue incidents, Belmonte still ordered concerned local agencies and barangay officials to remain vigilant and double their efforts in combating dengue following the government’s declaration of a national epidemic.

“Inaatasan ko ang mga kaukulang tanggapan ng siyudad, lalo na ang ating City Health Office, at mga barangay official na paigtingin pa ang kampanya ngayong idineklara na bilang national epidemic ang dengue,” said Belmonte.

Even before the national dengue epidemic was declared, Belmonte already has several measures in place as part of efforts to combat the mosquito-borne disease.

Belmonte has assured the availability of rapid diagnostics test kits or NS1 in health centers to help diagnose and assess dengue cases and arranged a referral mechanism for patients with warning signs of dengue and need immediate hospitalization to government hospitals within the city.

In addition, Belmonte has instructed the Barangay and Community Relation Department (BCRD) and the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department (EPWMD) to maintain the city’s cleanliness and get rid of breeding grounds of mosquitoes.

“Noon pa man, nagsagawa na ang lungsod ng mga hakbang para labanan ang dengue. Ngayon, kailangan lang nating paigtingin ang mga pagkilos na ito,” said Belmonte.

Belmonte said the city government is closely monitoring the top 10 barangays with the highest number of dengue cases in the first six months of 2019, including Payatas A and B, Commonwealth, Batasan, Fairview, Kamuning, Tatalon, Pasong Tamo, Tandang Sora, Bagong Silangan and Bagbag.