Jun Torres

Nueva Ecija third highest dengue cases in Central Luzon

There have been 2,167 cases of dengue fever in Central Luzon so far this year, or 273.6 percent higher than last year’s. two deaths were reported

The DOH regional office summed up data from the seven Central Luzon provinces in an updated report, citing Pampanga as having the most number of dengue cases.

Nurse Marilou Pajarillaga, of the DOH’s regional epidemiology surveillance unit, said that the mosquito-borne dengue fever has not yet reached epidemic proportions in the region.

According to the latest statistics, there have so far been 796 dengue cases this year in Pampanga, 481 in Bulacan, 394 in Nuevo Ecija,177 in Tarlac, 172 in Zambales, 140 in Bataan, and only seven in Aurora.

Pajarillaga said the number of deaths rose to 17 from 15 a month ago – five in Pampanga and four each in Bataan, Bulacan and Nuevo Ecija. The latest figures indicate a 273.6 percent increase from the same period last year when Central Luzon had only 580 dengue cases. She also said that most of the victims were school children.

The DOH noted that nationwide, more than 15,000 dengue cases have been reported in the first six months of this year, or 43 percent more than the same period last year, with Metro Manila still topping the list with the most cases.

Other provinces with high numbers of dengue cases are Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

But the dengue fatality rate remains low at one percent, which the DOH attributed to the quick response of the patients’ families and health workers.