ALARM SOUNDED. Iloilo Provincial Health Officer Dr. Maria Socorro Quinon sounds alarm over increasing cases of dengue and hand, foot and mouth disease in Iloilo province on Thursday (Feb. 2, 2023). Both diseases are present in 30 of the 43 local government units in the province as per data coming from the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit.(PNA file photo screen grab from Balita Halin sa Kapitolyo) ILOILO CITY - The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) is campaigning for an intensified "4S" strategy against dengue while parents are also alerted over the increasing cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), both already recorded in 30 of the province's 43 local government units (LGUs). IPHO's Dr. Maria Socorro Quinon, in an interview on Thursday, said from Jan. 1 to Jan. 28 this year, the province has already 90 cases of dengue, higher compared with 40 cases for the same period last year. "We attribute this to the continuous rains, which create bre
GASTROENTERITIS UPDATE. The City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) report as of Tuesday (Sept. 20, 2022) shows 93 percent of the acute gastroenteritis cases in Iloilo City have recovered. There were two additional recorded deaths, however, increasing the fatalities to 13.(Photo screengrab from CESU report) ILOILO CITY - The city government of Iloilo is eyeing to put an end to open defecation practice in barangays as one of the permanent solutions to the acute gastroenteritis (AGE) problem. City Health Office Medical Officer IV Roland Jay Fortuna on Wednesday said their sanitary division has an ongoing evaluation of barangays on zero open defecation (ZOD) although it was temporarily stopped to focus on AGE and monkeypox. "We continue to campaign for zero open defecation. Last time we awarded I think 20 barangays while evaluation is ongoing for the rest of other barangays. If possible we would like to comply the zero open defecation in all the 180 barangays," he said in
RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP. Responsible pet ownership is encouraged as one way to prevent rabies cases. Iloilo province as of Sept. 15, 2022, has logged 79 positive canine cases and five human deaths.(PNA photo by PGLena) ILOILO CITY - Iloilo has reported 79 canine-positive rabies cases and made more alarming by five human deaths, the provincial veterinarian said on Friday. Dr. Darel Tabuada said in an interview that 73.23 percent or 52 of the canine rabies cases as of Sept. 15 were due to stray dogs. A dog is considered a stray once it gets out of the owner's premises and the latter has no immediate or direct control over it. The solution, according to Tabuada, is to impound stray dogs and responsible pet ownership should be practiced. The municipal government will have to take care of stray dogs with no owners, he added. "We appeal for everyone to be responsible owners. Let us encourage others to be responsible," Tabuada said. The municipalities with high rabies cases includ
DENGUE REPORT. Iloilo Provincial Health Office head Dr. Maria Socorro Quinon said deaths due to dengue cases in the province have increased to 19 with the addition of two new fatalities recorded in August. She said on Thursday (Sept. 8, 2022) that most of the cases are those aged 1 to 10 years old.(PNA file photo) ILOILO CITY - The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) is urging the public not to be complacent and continue to observe the "4S" strategy to combat dengue that has claimed 19 lives out of the 2,291 cases it recorded from Jan. 1 to Sept. 3 period. "Unfortunately we have 19 deaths; the latest was the five-year-old from San Enrique who died Aug. 28 and a 10-year-old from Guimbal who also died last Aug. 18," said IPHO head Dr. Maria Socorro Quinon in a media interview on Thursday. The "4S" strategy includes search and destroy, seek early medication, self-protection, and say "yes" to fogging when there is an impending outbreak. Data from
MEDICAL REPORT. City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit medical coordinator, Dr. Marigold Calsas, presents the update on acute gastroenteritis in Iloilo City in a press conference on Wednesday (Sept. 7, 2022). Cases of acute gastroenteritis have increased to 419 while cholera recorded 12 incidents.(Photo screen grab from virtual press conference) ILOILO CITY - Acute gastroenteritis cases here have reached 419 with the reported 26 new cases while the number of death now stands at 10 as of Wednesday, according to the Iloilo City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the City Health Office (CESU-CHO). "We have 319 recoveries (acute gastroenteritis), 55 cases admitted, 41 cases stayed at home and 10 deaths as of today. We have an additional death, which is a seven-month old from Gustilo, La Paz," said CESU medical coordinator, Dr. Marigold Calsas in a press conference. Of the total cases, 12 have been identified as cholera with three of the patients still in hospitals. Two of the