The dengue alert has been raised in Pangasinan after the Department of Health recorded a 400 percent increase in dengue cases last month.
The Department of Health (DOH) said that a total of 145 cases were recorded for the month of July, a 400 percent increase compared to the 33 cases recorded in same period last year.
The DOH said majority of the victims were children aged 14 and below. Many of them are confined at the Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC).
"People should now be aware that dengue is deadly," Dr. Michael Canto, R1MC spokesman, said.
From January to July, the DOH office in Pangasinan said the highest number of cases was recorded in Dagupan City with 85 patients followed by Calasiao with 78; Malasiqui, 66; Bayambang, 36; and Sta. Barbara, 29.
The DOH has also urged people to donate blood in hospitals because medical facilities in Pangasinan are running out of supply due to the sudden increase of dengue cases.
Meanwhile, health officials urged Pangasinan residents to help in the campaign against dengue by cleaning their surroundings and identifying breeding grounds of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
"They themselves should mark places where mosquitoes live," Dr. Jesus de Vera, Dagupan City health office chief, said. Cris Zuniga, ABS-CBN Dagupan
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