A 45-year-old man is the first dengue death case recorded in Iloilo City in 2025.

Jerry Guides (pronounced Gi-des), a resident of Barangay Zamora-Melliza, was taken to the hospital on February 10, 2025 and died there on the same day.

Guides succumbed to dengue hemorrhagic fever.

It was learned that on February 9, 2025, Guides complained of feeling ill.

“Sinabihan siya namin na alalayan pero sabi niya, kaya pa niya. Hanggang paglabas, nanginginig na siya kaya agad naming dinala sa hospital,” Rosemarie Castro, Gides’ girlfriend, said.

Aside from fever, Gides was also having loose bowel movement and was bleeding, according to Dr. Mary Ann Diaz, officer in charge of Iloilo City Health Office (CHO).

Guides is a regular employee of the Local Government Unit of Iloilo City assigned at the Beautification Program of the General Services Office (GSO).

It was found out that his house was surrounded by stagnant, clogged-up canals.

Following the incident, the barangay has intensified its cleanup drive and four o’clock habit. Misting in the barangay has also been requested.

“Winawalis namin ang mga dahon. Maraming dahon dito. Magre-request kami. Kailangan talaga kasi umuulan. Ang kanal dito, maraming stagnant,” Barangay Zamora-Melliza Councilwoman Melyn Sienes said.

According to the data of the Iloilo CHO, the total number of dengue cases in the city from January 1, 2025 to February 22, 2025 has reached 106. However, the figure is lower compared to the 119 cases recorded in the same period in 2024.

The highest number of dengue cases in the city was recorded in Barangay Boulevard in Molo District and Barangay Jereos in La Paz District with five cases each.

The CHO has monitored extensively the barangays that share a border with the Province of Iloilo that has logged rising dengue cases.

“We have the Jaro II Buntatala near Leganes, and then Mandurriao District near San Miguel and we have Arevalo near Oton. To those na may mga sintomas, seek early consultation so that we can treat right away,” Diaz added.

Aside from barangays with recorded dengue cases, misting will be carried out in all other city barangays, this was further learned.

The Department of Health (DOH) 6 launched on February 24, 2025 the “Alas Kwatro Kontra Mosquito” program in Barangay Bolong Este, Santa Barbara town in Iloilo Province.

“Sa amin, ipinatutupad namin ang kalinisan. Hindi naman namin kaya na mula doon hanggang dito, ang mahalaga malinis dito sa amin,” Ma. Lea Sontat, a resident, said.

The Iloilo Provincial Health Office has also urged all barangays in the province to participate actively in destroying breeding grounds of mosquitoes.