The City Health Office hopes to see a decrease in dengue cases in the city as records show a slow decline in reported dengue cases.

City Health Officer Dr. Dulce Miravite said the CHO noted a downward trend in the reported number of dengue cases for the months of August and September at 1,242 cases and 209 cases, respectively.

This, following the peak dengue case period of July, which recorded 1,476 cases.

“Hopefully, we will be able to sustain this trend,” Dr. Miravite said as the CHO continues to implement its intensified campaign versus dengue in barangays and in schools.

Continuously being advocated are the 4S (search and destroy, self-protection, seek early consultation, say yes to fumigation and misting) campaign, the 4 o’clock habit, the Action Barangay Kontra Dengue (ABKD), and the Den-Get Out campaign.

To date, 5,828 suspected dengue cases have been reported since January. There have been 29 mortalities, with five reported in August and one in September.

The barangays with the most number of dengue cases are Calarian, Talon-Talon, Tetuan, Tumaga, Tugbungan, Pasonanca, San Roque, Sta, Maria, Putik, and Guiwan.

Dr. Miravite said search and destroy activities identify most mosquitoes as the Aedes aegypti, the main vector that transmits the virus causing dengue.

Thus, she emphasized the need for continuous destruction and dismantling of mosquito breeding sites as well as exercising other protective measures to prevent dengue. (Jasmine Mohammadsali)