The Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol on Wednesday said dengue cases in the region dropped by 65 percent during the first half of 2020.
In an advisory, the agency said a report of the Dengue Surveillance Units of the six provinces of Bicol covering the period from January to July 18 this year showed a total of 1,231 cases and 10 deaths, a significant drop from the 3,501 cases and 42 deaths recorded during the same period last year.
The DOH Bicol Dengue tracker also showed that Camarines Sur has the highest number of dengue cases with 601 and two deaths; followed by Sorsogon with 234 cases and three deaths; Camarines Norte with 138 cases and two deaths; Albay with 111 cases and three deaths; Masbate with 110 cases; Catanduanes with 33 cases, and others (transients), four cases.
The dengue victims were mostly children aged 6-10 years, and 649 or 53 percent are males.
DOH-Bicol, however, warned the public that dengue cases could still increase due to the onset of the rainy season when the disease-carrying mosquitoes thrive.
The advisory urged the public to follow the strategies to eliminate, if not lessen the dengue cases in the region, which include maintaining the cleanliness of surroundings and getting rid of stagnant water. (PNA)
