The Eastern Samar Provincial Board has declared a state of calamity due to a surge in dengue cases.
Last week, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) had passed a resolution recommending the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to place the province under a state of calamity due to the dengue outbreak.
Provincial Administrator Nelson Cortez said the increasing dengue cases and deaths in the province are alarming.
Dr. Marian Isiderio noted that 22 out of 23 municipalities and one city are affected with 295 or 46.41 percent of 597 villages.
According to her report, the most affected is Borongan City with 185 cases, Guiuan town with 139, Taft with 74, Maydolong with 70 and San Julian with 65 dengue cases.
She added that they have recorded 257 new cases of suspected dengue over the past three weeks.
There were also nine deaths this year, four from Guiuan and one each from Borongan City, Hernani, Quinapondan, General Macarthur and Taft.
She said that the province has already breached both the alert and epidemic thresholds.
Eastern Samar is the second province to have declared a state of calamity due to dengue next to Leyte province.
Meanwhile, Department of Health 8 Regional Director Minerva Pulma said they will not declare a regional outbreak despite the continuous increase in dengue cases in Eastern Visayas.
“We have a great number of cases when it is cumulative, but the cases are only sporadic, and not all provinces are greatly affected because some have zero cases,” Molon explained.
(SOURCE: Manila Bulletin)