By: Jomarie A. Billones
ROXAS CITY, Capiz – The municipality of Pontevedra in Capiz was placed under state of calamity due to the upsurge of dengue cases.
Mayor Esteban Contreras confirmed that he recommended to the Sangguniang Bayan to declare the state of calamity so that they could focus more on how to solve the problem.
Pontevedra has the second highest cases of dengue after Roxas City.
Pontevedra has some 200 dengue cases with two deaths since January to June this year. With the declaration, the town can now use its calamity funds to strengthen its campaign against dengue.
Meanwhile, Roxas City has some 353 dengue cases with two deaths in barangays Barra and Sibaguan.
The villages with the most numbers of dengue cases were Bolo with 32, followed by Mongpong with 31 and Lawaan with 28 cases.
On the other hand, the provincial government-run hospital, the Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH) has formed the dengue and fast lane ward to accommodate dengue patients.
According to Joan Cruz-am, RMPH Administrative Officer IV of the Quality Management and Customer Relation Office, the ward and fastlane will prioritize dengue patients.
Since January, 394 patients have been accommodated in the said facilities wherein 73 patients remained confined in the said hospital.