Davao City Health Tropical Disease Prevention and Control Unit Elizabeth Banzon urged Dabawenyos to observe measures that would prevent dengue from spreading as the city already recorded 957 cases from January to July.
These include adopting the 4 o’clock habit, which entails dropping whatever one is doing and shifting the focus to search and destroy mosquito breeding places such as stagnant water and removing them, clearing corners of unused containers, receptacles or bottles, tires, or piles of leaves and other accumulated wastes.
Banzon made the call as dengue cases in the city from January to June this year slightly rose compared to 926 cases in the same period last year.
Banzon said during the I-Speak media forum Thursday said that this year, there are already five deaths. However, it is lower compared to the seven deaths that had been recorded in the same period last year.
The five cases are from Agdao Centro, Bucana, Matina Aplaya, Sasa, and Matina Pangi.
Banzon encouraged households and the public to follow the 4’oclock habit, ensure that there are no areas where water accumulates, especially since it is the rainy season. The public should also seek immediate medical help in case of dengue symptoms.
“We are encouraging everybody nga kung mahimo nga naa gyud sila’y segregation sa ilahang panimalay para dili magkalat tung pwede ma-breedingan (We are encouraging everybody to practice segregation in their homes so that their wastes won’t become breeding sites),” Banzon said.
She also reiterated that parents should not make their children wear dark clothes because these can attract mosquitos.
Meanwhile, amid the rising cases, the CHO continues its misting and fogging operations, soaking curtains and mosquito nets and also the conduct of surveillance for possible mosquito breeding sites. CIO
