TACLOBAN City – The Eastern Samar provincial board has declared a state of calamity due to dengue surge Monday.
Last week, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) has passed a resolution recommending the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to declare the province under state of calamity due to dengue outbreak.
In an emergency meeting called by Governor Ben Evardone, Provincial Administrator Nelson Cortez said the increasing dengue cases and deaths in the province is alarming, wherein they deemed it proper to declare a state of calamity.
Dr. Marian Isiderio, the provincial health office chief, said they have recorded a 142 percent spike with 1,012 dengue cases from January to July 23 with only 491 cases from last year.
She noted that 22 out of 23 municipalities and one city are affected with 295 or 46.41 percent of 597 villages.
According to her report, the most affected is Borongan City with 185 cases, Guiuan town with 139, Taft with 74, Maydolong with 70 and San Julian with 65 dengue cases.
She added that they have recorded 257 new cases of suspected dengue over the past three weeks.
There were also a reported nine deaths this year, four from Guiuan and one each from Borongan City, Hernani, Quinapondan, General Macarthur, and Taft.
She said that the province has already breached both the alert and epidemic thresholds.
Eastern Samar is the second province to have declared a state of calamity due to dengue next to Leyte province.
Meanwhile, Department of Health 8 regional director Minerva Pulma said they will not declare a regional outbreak despite the continuous increase in dengue cases in Eastern Visayas. (Marie Tonette Marticio)
