A total of 89 individuals have died due to dengue in Western Visayas (Region 6) while 15,803 cases were recorded in Regions 6 and 8 (Eastern Visayas) from January 1 to July 12, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
The figures were provided yesterday, a day after the declaration of a National Dengue Alert by health officials.
NDRRMC executive drector Ricardo Jalad said that Negros Occidental has the most number of fatalities with 23; followed by Iloilo with 20.
Capiz and Aklan tallied 15 deaths each while other fatalities were recorded in Iloilo City and Antique with five apiece; Bacolod City with four; and Guimaras with two.
Meanwhile, the most dengue cases were recorded in Iloilo (5,327); followed by Negros Occidental (3,266); Capiz (2,590); and Aklan (2,095).
Other dengue cases were reported in Iloilo City (718); Antique (670); Bacolod City (572); and Guimaras (486).
Twenty-two dengue cases were recorded in other areas in Region 6.
The lone area hit by dengue in Region 8 was Santa Fe town in Leyte where 57 cases were reported but with no fatalities.
Jalad also confirmed that a dengue outbreak has been declared in the provinces of Capiz and Guimaras, as well as in Iloilo City.
Meanwhile, the municipal government of Maasin in Iloilo province, and Pontevedra and President Roxas towns in Capiz have declared a state of calamity. (Martin Sadongdong)