In celebration of ‘Dengue Awareness Month’, the Department of Health – Metro Manila Center for Health Development (DOH - MMCHD) conducts a Synchronized Dengue Clean-up Drive in Valenzuela City on the 24th of June 2022.

Marthony Basco, head of the City Health Office (CHO), led the installation of the OviTraps, which seem to be one of the most effective mosquito traps on the list. An Ovitrap is a black, cylindrical container filled with water that is an ideal location for a female mosquito to lay eggs. The female mosquito lays her eggs on the cardboard paddles then the eggs will fall through the mesh into the water, where the larvae hatch and develop into pupas. When the adult mosquitoes emerge, they are trapped beneath the mesh and are unable to escape from the ovitrap. 

In relation to the DOH’s continuous efforts to stop and prevent the possible Dengue Outbreak in the country, they remind the public of “4S preventive measurements”. The 4S stands for:

1. Search and destroy mosquito breeding places.
2. Self-protection measures such as the use of long sleeves and mosquito repellants.
3. Seek early consultation when fever, rashes, headaches, vomiting, and other symptoms arise.
4. Say YES to Fogging when there are outbreaks or clustering of cases.

Acknowledging the fact that COVID-19 pandemic is still lurking in the country, Asst. Director Debbie Torres, of the National Barangay Operations Office of DILG, reiterated that we should not cease fighting against viruses like Dengue.

“For the past 2 years, we were all preoccupied with the unprecedented challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic brought into our lives. Our daily routines were disrupted as we had to change the way to usually day-to-day and had to realign our priorities and even our resources”, Asst. Dir. Torres said.

The Department of Health (DOH) chose Valenzuela City to be part of the program because of their recent gathered data about the virus. According to Dr. Basco, the Dengue cases in the city barely increased by 25.1% compared to the same period last year, 2021.

In their latest recorded cases, 159 of these cases are ‘Dengue suspects’, which means these people have the same symptoms as the Dengue diseases such as flu. 295 are probable cases who have bigger chances and are most likely to be Dengue patients. 

27 Dengue patients were admitted just last week while 22 patients were brought to hospitals this week.

“There are 578 cases mula po Enero hanggang Hulyo, admitted in different reporting institutions. Ibig sabihin, health centers, VCH, VMC, mga private hospitals at mga private clinics”, Dr. Basco in his report from their observation on Dengue status in the city. [There are 578 cases from January to July, admitted to different reporting institutions. That is, health centers, VCH, VMC, private hospitals, and private clinics.]

DOH-MMCHD together with the local government of Valenzuela City will keep the movement of the program to strengthen the fight against the Dengue virus in the city. The started synchronized clean-up drive will transpire.

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