• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Dengue cases in Negros Occidental increased by 296 percent from January 1 to 18 this year, compared to the same period in 2024.
The Provincial Health Office logged 250 cases, with two fatalities, within a period of almost three weeks, compared to 63 cases in the same period last year.
For the year 2024, Negros Occidental recorded 6,799 dengue cases, with 22 deaths, compared to 1,489 cases in 2023, an increase of 354.48 percent.
Among the top 10 local government units in terms of the most number of cases, Bago City ranked number one at 1,042, followed by San Carlos City – 552, Hinobaan – 424, Silay City – 412, Talisay City – 411, Kabankalan City – 387, Cauayan – 383, Sagay City – 376, and 329 in Cadiz City.
The age group with the most cases ranged from one to 10 years old.
In highly urbanized Bacolod City, records of the City Health Office showed that there were 22 dengue cases reported from Jan. 5 to 11, an increase of 47.6 percent compared to 15 cases in the same period a year ago.
No dengue related deaths were reported in Bacolod City.
Dr. Grace Tan, head of the City Health Office’s Environment Sanitation Division, emphasized that dengue continues to affect people of all ages and genders, through bites from infected female mosquitoes.
Tan said that mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus breed in stagnant, clear water found in both large and small containers.*