Dengue cases in Caraga surge by nearly half

Cases of dengue in Caraga, a five-province zone in northeastern Mindanao, have surged by nearly half, official health reports indicate.

Persons stricken with dengue — a life-threatening disease caused by mosquitoes — rose by 44 percent to 678 from January to June 14, 2010, official records from the Center for Health and Development of the Caraga Region indicated.

During the same period last year, 470 persons were afflicted with dengue fever in the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur.

Of the current 678 cases, some 160 have been recorded in Butuan City — Caraga’s regional center — while the province of Surigao del Sur topped all Caraga provinces with 175 dengue cases.

Some 38 cases were recorded in Surigao City, 18 in Bislig City, the same records said.

The province of Agusan del Sur recorded 173 cases while 84 fell ill of the disease in Agusan del Norte.

Surigao del Norte recorded 30 dengue cases.

The same records also revealed that the Caraga regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) were unable to determine the number of dengue-related deaths during the first quarter of this year.

Last year, some 31 persons in the region mostly minors died due to deadly dengue. - BS, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV

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