Iloilo City recorded its third dengue death this year after an eight-year-old girl succumbed to the mosquito-borne disease.
The patient, a resident of Barangay Mansaya, Lapuz, died on August 24, according to the City Health Office (CHO).
The CHO’s Epidemiological and Surveillance Unit (ESU) recorded a total of 288 dengue cases, including three deaths, from January to August this year.
The figure was lower by 34.8 percent compared with cases logged in the same period last year, which saw two deaths.
Of the fatalities registered this year — one in February and two in August — two were girls and one was a boy.
Currently, 11 barangays in the city have recorded clusters of dengue cases: Concepcion, Veterans Village, Divinagracia, Zamora Melliza, Caingin, Mansaya-Lapuz, San Isidro in Jaro, Tabuc Suba, Rizal Pala-Pala 1, Lapuz Sur, and San Pedro in Molo.
Health officials define a dengue cluster as the occurrence of three or more cases within a single area over a period of four consecutive weeks.
In a press conference, ESU Nurse III Marlou Avanceña said they have been actively promoting dengue awareness since January, advising residents who exhibit symptoms to get checked to prevent complications.
To maintain continuous vector control, the city implements year-round preventive measures, including regular misting operations, and routine sanitation inspections.
District health centers are also ramping up education initiatives and social media campaigns to keep the public informed, while offering free dengue testing and a priority fast lane for suspected cases.IMT
