Aklan dengue cases down; gastroenteritis threat up

Kalibo, Aklan – Cases of dengue in Aklan are slowing down, according to the Provincial Health Office (PHO) here.

Dr. Maria J. Magpusao, Chief of the Technical Services Division here revealed that this month, cases of dengue as recorded by the PHO appear to be decreasing.

Based on their records, the first week of July recorded a total of 25 cases, 2^nd week, 15 cases; and third week, 4 cases. However, Aklan health officials are now alarmed with the increasing number of patients brought to the hospital suffering from gastroenteritis.

Magpusao said patients come from all parts of the province, with ages ranging from below a year-old to 52 years old.

Magpusao revealed that just within the first week of July, 48 gastroenteritis cases were listed by the PHO. She suspects the changing weather condition, the eating habits of young children, and the presence of intestinal worms in young children are some of the contributing factors in the rise of cases.

She advised that once afflicted, a person should be made to drink plenty of fluid and take ORESOL and increase his body resistance.

Although cases of dengue in Aklan is decreasing, Magpusao warned that people should still be on guard, because when continuous rain sets in in August , cases might againt come up. She still suspects cases might still peak in August, because this was the trend in the past years.

She called on all Aklanons not to be lax on dengue and practice the 4 o’clock habit by cleaning the surroundings and searching and destroying the breeding places of mosquitoes.

“Everybody is vulnerable to dengue, but complications are greater when the patient is very young, or very old,” Magpusao stressed.

Meanwhile, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano called on local officials and residents to keep tourist destinations crime-free and also safe from dengue and other diseases.

He called on mayors of the different tourist destinations in the country to take important measures to prevent the outbreak of dengue in their areas.

Aklan is home to Boracay Island, the province’ and the country’s top tourist destination.

A high incidence of dengue, according to Durano, would scare away both foreign and local tourists.

Based on records of the Provincial Tourism Office in Aklan, tourist arrivals in boracay Island last year already reached the half a million mark. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)