Return to Index page
August 10, 2005
The Freeman - Cebu, Philippines
City gets 5 more mistblowers to combat dengue
By Joeberth M. Ocao and Jasmin R. Uy
To boost the city’s campaign against dengue outbreak, the
city health office has acquired five more newly purchased gasoline-run
mistblowers to augment the existing five mistblowers that are being
used in 26 affected barangays in the city.
The five new mistblowers were requested by Councilor Jack Jakosalem,
head of the city’s committee on energy, transportation, communication
and other utilities supposedly for agricultural purposes, however,
Jakosalem said the dengue outbreak is a much more pressing concern.
The new mistblowers cost P48,000 each and is run by 3.5 horsepower.
The city health office reportedly has chemicals ready for misting
the affected barangays.
But Councilor Christopher Alix, head of the city’s committee
on health, hospital services and sanitation, said he believes the
10 mistblowes are not enough to immediately combat the spread of
dengue. He said that with the 26 affected barangays, it would take
around a week each to conduct misting in the three most affected
barangays of Banawa, Lahug and Guadalupe.
Forty-six people have been affected while two died due to dengue
in barangay Banawa. In barangay Guadalupe, 36 have been recorded
sick and one dead while 37 have been recorded sick and one dead
in barangay Lahug.
Two deaths were recorded in barangay Babag while one death was
recorded in barangays Tisa, Talamban, Capitol, Quiot, Mabolo, Calamba,
Sambag 1,and Labangon.
The city council has already declared the city a calamity area
with the city government deciding to spend about P4.5 million to
combat the virus this year. P1.5 million of which has been spent
to purchase the chemical lambda-cyhalothrin.
The chemical costs P3,000 per liter.
Meanwhile, 43 patients are confined at the VSMMC for dengue, nine
of which are suffering from shock, according to hospital records.
VSMMC Chief Filomena delos Santos said the number of dengue cases
is already alarming in the region as there have been a surge in
the number of patients confined in VSMMC.
“The situation is not normal as we have a large number of
patients here. We have to open another ward for them as they have
continued to grow in number,” Delos Santos said.
She said VSMMC has asked for medicine and equipment from Governor
Gwendolyn Garcia in order to contain the disease.
|