SoCot health workers move to prevent spread of dengue, push for 4 o'clock habit

KORONADAL CITY -- Health providers in South Cotabato have been working doubly hard to arrest rising cases of dengue this year, health officials said.This after the number of dengue cases in the province rose to about 62 percent from January to April 23 this year as compared to the same period last year.Cecile Lorenzo, disease surveillance officer of South Cotabato Provincial Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (PESU), said from January to April 23, there were 1,003 cases of dengue recorded by the Department of Health (DOH).The dengue cases were monitored in the towns of Surallah, Banga and Koronadal, a component city of South Cotabato.Lorenzo said Koronadal and Surallah had the highest dengue cases with the youngest at 3 years old and the oldest at 93 years old.While the situation is not to be considered alarming yet, Dr. Rogelio Aturdido, South Cotabato provincial health officer, said the public must have roles to play to prevent the spread of dengue.He said the disease is deadly but preventable with all health stakeholders working together.The DOH's four o'clock habit can be applied by anybody, anytime and anywhere under any given situation, he added. The program requires anyone to clean surroundings and destroy mosquito breeding sites.Aturdido urged people who normally stay at home like mothers and house help to consider and prioritize cleaning their respective surroundings to destroy the breeding sites of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.Health Secretary Janette Garin has embarked on massive information dissemination on dengue prevention using mainstream media and the social media.She urged the public to be vigilant against dengue by eliminating the possible breeding sites of mosquitoes.The deadly disease is spread by the bites primarily of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which thrive in clean and stagnant water abundant during rainy days or dry season.Garin, in her information campaign, said that mosquitoes carrying the virus are could also thrive even during dry spell that the country is experiencing right now.Symptoms of dengue include high fever of about 40 degrees centigrade, pains on joints, bone and muscles, nausea and swollen glands.She advised persons suffering from flu-like symptom lasting three to five days to immediately see a doctor or visit the nearest barangay health centers.