BACOLOD CITY — Five young children have lost their lives to dengue fever in the city as of September 12, according to local health authorities.
The City Health Office (CHO) reported that the latest fatalities involve two young boys from Barangays Mansilingan and 16.
City Health Officer Dr. Grace Tan stated on Thursday, September 17, that a nine-year-old boy from Barangay Mansilingan passed away on September 2. He had been hospitalized since August 28 after exhibiting symptoms of fever and vomiting, marking the second dengue-related death in the village this year.
Another victim, an eight-year-old boy residing in Barangay 16, died on September 8 after being admitted to a medical facility a day earlier with fever, abdominal discomfort, and vomiting. The city’s earlier recorded fatalities were two young girls, aged eight and five, from Barangays Villamonte and Granada.
Despite the reported deaths, overall dengue infections in the city have decreased by 15.5 percent compared to the 788 cases and five fatalities recorded during the same period last year.
A total of 666 cases have been recorded since January.
Barangay Mansilingan logged the highest number of infections with 82 cases, followed by Handumanan (58), Estefania (53), Alijis (44), Singcang-Airport (44), Villamonte (40), Granada (39), Banago (32), Taculing (31), and Tangub (30).
Minors accounted for the vast majority of the city’s dengue cases, comprising 471 of the total patients. Among them, 14 were infants under one year old, 254 were children aged one to 10, and 205 fell within the 11 to 19 age bracket.