By: Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – The Provincial Health Office (PHO) asked Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson to declare dengue outbreak in five areas of the province.
PHO head Dr. Ernell Tumimbang confirmed that they have forwarded the recommendation to declare the outbeak in the cities of Kabankalan and Bago, and the towns of Cauayan, Murcia, and Candoni.
PHO data as of January 1 to July 13, 2019 indicated 3,744 dengue cases in the province.
Kabankalan tops the list with 490 cases, followed by Bago with 285, Cauayan with 228, Murcia with 147, and Candoni with 135.
The PHO also recommended to Lacson to declare a “state of calamity.”
Lacson, however, said the province is still at an “alert” level, not an “epidemic” stage.
He urged the public to continue cleaning their surroundings to control the spread of dengue fever.
Lacson also issued an executive order declaring a heightened alert status for dengue.
