By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A total of 148 dengue cases were recorded in Negros Occidental, data from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) showed yesterday.

In PHO’s Morbidity Week No. 5, as of February 4, an increase of 142 percent, or 87 more cases, was reported compared to the same period last year.

San Carlos City has the highest number of cases with 20, while Bago City has the highest total increase of cases at 366 percent.

Most of the dengue patients are children aged one to 10 years old, data showed.

Meanwhile, a dengue fatality remains at one, a resident of Himamaylan City.

The PHO also noted a clustering of cases in two villages in Silay City, and one village each in Bago, Pulupandan town and Cadiz City.

Dengue is spread by the aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus mosquitoes. It causes a severe flu-like illness that could sometimes be fatal.

According to the World Health Organization, individuals should suspect dengue when a high fever (40 degrees centigrade) is accompanied by two of the following symptoms: severe headache, pain behind the eyes, nausea or vomiting, swollen glands, muscle and joint pains, and rashes.

For severe dengue, the warning signs to look out for are severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums, blood in vomit, fatigue, and restlessness./DGB, WDJ