TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)— Dengue fever cases have waned off and dropped below the pandemic level, but cases in Bohol is still within the alert level, the most recent data from the Provincial Health Office showed.
During the recent Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management (PDRRM) Full Council Meeting for the third quarter, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez pointed out that since morbidity week 37, the cases are already below the epidemic level, and in fact, dipped further down in morbidity week 38, or by September 21.
It may be recalled that dengue fever cases in Bohol started to breach the pandemic levels starting morbidity week 27 or the first week of July and peaked during morbidity week 38 or second week of August.
During the first week of July, Bohol had a weekly tally of 145 cases, which ultimately soared to 696 cases in a week by the weekend August 17.
It may also be recalled that on the same week, Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado issued and Executive order directing barangays to reactivate their Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue, and for the local government units to supervise the province-wide Iwas-Dengue simultaneous clean-up activities.
The governor also pushed Provincial Government health authorities to equip all province-run hospitals and procured rehydration solutions, testing kits and released funds to mobilize its grassroots quasi-health professionals in the 8,000 strong Barangay Health Workers, and Barangay Nutrition Scholars.
The following week, the weekly tally of cases started to wane off 460 and then to 444 per week, 436 and then down to 143 per week by the weekend of September 14, which is already below the epidemic curve.
By morbidity week 38, health authorities took care of the 113 cases during the week, way below the epidemic threshold.
The figure however is still above the dengue epidemic alert, which is still over 100 vases in a week.
As this developed, Department of Health (DOH) Bohol Field Office Chief Dr. Van Phillip Baton however issued an early warning.
Dengue, which has shown itself raving high in every cycle of three years, and 2024 is still the cycle’s second year.
According to the PHO, dengue cases in 2019 reached 7,387 and left the year with 44 deaths.
Three years later, in 2022, the year ended with 2,681 cases for dengue fever, with 12 deaths.
By the end of 2023, dengue cases reached 2,613 and killed 15.
This year, health authorities tracked 7,359 dengue cases with 18 deaths, and there is still some 14 morbidity weeks to go.
With this bleak scenario, Dr. Baton however is hopeful that with the way Boholanos are sticking to the good prevention practices, there is a huge possibility that the peak expected in 2025 might not be as bad. (RAHC/PIA-7/Bohol)
