The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (ZCDRRMC) in an emergency meeting Friday approved a resolution declaring dengue outbreak in Zamboanga City.

This, as the city exceeded dengue epidemic threshold for 4 consecutive weeks, according to the City Health Office.

From January 1 to April 2, 2022, total dengue cases have reached 893 with 11 mortalities.

The CDRRMC resolution will be forwarded to the City Council for appropriate action, as Mayor Beng Climaco is expected to issue an Executive Order formalizing the declaration.

As this developed, Climaco directed the reactivation of dengue preparedness plan and task force based on the 2019 dengue outbreak response.

City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit chief, Dr. Ivy Iturralde during the CDRRMC meeting reported that 85 dengue cases were reported for morbidity week 13 which is 963% higher compared to the same period in 2021 when dengue outbreak was also declared, and 257% higher from the 5-year average (2017-2021) of 24 cases, same time period. 

Dengue incidence rate per 100k population in the city is 99.64 and barangays with the highest incidence rate per 10k population are Boalan, Divisoria, Mercedes, Pasobolong and Culianan. The others are Zambowood, Sta. Barbara, Putik, Sta. Maria and San Roque.

Iturralde said there is a dengue epidemic in Zamboanga City based on the analysis of threshold levels of dengue cases and confirmatory laboratory results. The city already exceeded epidemic thresholds for four consecutive morbidity weeks.

In addition, specimens sent for confirmatory test in RITM revealed 15 positive results for dengue serotype 1 and 1 positive result for dengue serotype 4.

The city has previously experienced 2 dengue epidemics within the last ten years. The latest was 3 years ago wherein it was also a nationwide outbreak. (Sheila Covarrubias)