Dengue death toll hits 62 in two Mindanao regions

BUTUAN CITY — The dreaded dengue disease has already claimed the lives of 62 people this year in two regions in Mindanao, reports from regional Department of Health offices claimed. Of the 4,932 cases recorded from January to September in Northern Mindanao (Region 10), with Cagayan de Oro City as the regional center, about 54 people have died, mostly minors, the DOH-10 report showed. Meanwhile, suspected dengue cases in the Caraga region (Region 13) has already reached a total of 2,001, according to the DOH Center for Health Development (CHD), through its Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit. According to Dr. Gerna Manatad, DOH-13 CHD Regional Epidemiologist, the figure was based on admission reports from the different disease-reporting hospitals in the region from January 1 to September 9. This is 168% higher compared to the record of the same period last year which only had 746 cases, Manatad said. In Cagayan de Oro City, hospital officials of state-owned Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) claimed that in some instances, two patients occupy one hospital bed due to the sudden rise of dengue cases. Dr. May Flor Demegillo of DOH-10 regional office confirmed the deaths 54 people, mostly minors. For the Caraga Region, Butuan City still topped the list with 668 dengue cases, followed by Agusan del Sur (400); Surigao del Norte (209); Bislig City (162); Surigao City (152); Agusan del Norte (135); Surigao del Sur (134); Bayugan City (69); Cabadbaran City (33); Dinagat Islands (24) and Tandag City (15). Meanwhile, eight deaths were reported some areas in the region, such as Cabadbaran City (1); Magallanes, Agusan del Norte (1); San Francisco, Surigao del Norte (1); Surigao City (2); Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte (1); Malimono, Surigao del Norte (1); and Bayugan City (1). The ages of the victims ranges from two months old to 84 years old. Majority of the cases were male (52%). Forty-two percent of the cases is within the 0 to 10 age group. — Ben Serrano/LBG, GMANews.TV