A cheerful seven-month-old baby in Dagupan City is the latest to succumb to dengue fever, leaving his family devastated with the loss.
“Tine-test siya, lumabas yung severe dengue, kaya hindi nakaligtas yung apo ko kasi kumalat na yung virus ba ng dengue," Adela Cayabyab, the boy's grandmother, said.
"Masakit talaga kasi bibong batang yun, hindi siya nagkakasakit, yun lang tapos bigla nalang nawala, namatay.” she added.
The baby started showing symptoms on October 3, 2024, including fever and rashes on his body.
He was brought to the hospital but passed away on October 8.
The death certificate said severe dengue claimed the child’s life.
The City Health Office is now conducting misting and fogging operations in barangays with reported cases of dengue.
They are also applying larvicidal treatments to stagnant water.
“May mga cases pa rin tayo ng dengue, kaya tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang mga monitoring natin. Mga early intervention para maagapan yung mga sakit ng [mga] kababayan [natin] dito sa Dagupan,” Dr. Maria Julita de Venecia, Dagupan City Health Officer I, said.
The City Health Department (CDH) Ilocos reported an increase of nearly 70 percent of dengue cases in the region.
From January 2024 to October 2024, Ilocos reported 9,154 dengue cases, way more than the 5,457 during the same period in 2023.
Local health authorities said they are committed to arresting this rise in cases.
“Bukod sa ating continuous surveillance ng ating dengue cases, nagbibigay tayo ng technical assistance sa ating munisipyo at syudad,” Dr. Rheuel Bobis, spokesperson for CHD-1, said.
