Iloilo province under state of calamity as it sees sharp rise in dengue cases

BACOLOD, Philippines – The Iloilo provincial government has declared a state of calamity due to a sharp rise in dengue cases, allowing local officials to access emergency funds to implement measures and provide aid to affected communities.

Cornelio Salinas, head of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office, said the provincial government would tap a P13.6-million quick response fund to address the health crisis after the provincial board approved the declaration on Tuesday, August 20.

The fund will be managed by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) and will prioritize areas most severely affected by dengue, Salinas said on Thursday, August 22.

Data from Iloilo’s Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU) showed that from January 1 to August 17, Iloilo recorded 5,836 dengue cases and 10 deaths – a 417.8% increase from 1,127 cases and no deaths during the same period in 2023. Since June 16, the province has reported 740 new cases.

Dengue, a mosquito-borne disease, has affected 43 towns and one city in Iloilo province.

Four local governments in the towns of Miag-ao, Tigbauan, Oton, and Passi City have also declared a state of calamity.

The Municipal Health Unit of Badiangan town reported a dengue outbreak in the municipality.

Salinas said the provincial government would seek the help of various sectors in implementing a “whole-of-society approach” to curb the spread of dengue in Iloilo. He added that the Department of Health’s (DOH) “4 o’clock habit” anti-dengue campaign would be intensified.

He said the provincial government will also engage churches across Iloilo to assist in the campaign by reminding people about the importance of afternoon cleanups.

As of this posting, the DOH in the region has reported over 10,000 dengue cases with 21 deaths across Western Visayas.

In Bacolod City, Dr. Grace Tan, head of the environmental sanitation section at the City Health Office, confirmed on Wednesday, August 21, another dengue fatality: an 11-year-old girl from Barangay 16. This marks the city’s third dengue-related death, following the deaths of an 18-year-old from Barangay Estefania and a 68-year-old man from Barangay Felisa.

In Iloilo City, the local government opened a hydration center on the second floor of the La Paz Maternity and Reproductive Center on Wednesday. The center, equipped with 30 beds, is designed to accommodate dengue patients in need of immediate hydration.

From January to August, Iloilo City recorded 775 dengue cases with three deaths, slightly up from the 541 cases and three deaths reported during the same period last year. The city has seen 70 new cases since June 16. – Rappler.com