By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office (PHO) recorded a drop in the number of dengue cases in the province based on its latest monitoring.

In PHO’s Morbidity Week 21 report, 509 dengue cases were recorded as of May 27, a drop of 41 percent or 360 cases less compared to last year’s 809 cases in the same period.

San Carlos City has the highest number of dengue cases at 74, it said.

Earlier, the Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas warned about the prevalence of dengue fever in the region following the declaration of the onset of the rainy season.

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/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.

The DOH is advising the public to regularly clean their surroundings, eliminate possible breeding grounds for mosquitoes, wear long pants and sleeved shirts, and to use mosquito repellants every day to prevent getting the illness./DGB, WDJ