CEBU CITY – With the number of dengue cases in Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas rapidly increasing, local government officials and the Department of Health (DoH) 7 are stepping up measures against the mosquito-borne dengue disease here.

The cities of Cebu and Talisay have earmarked P10 million and P9.5 million of their calamity funds respectively while the Province of Cebu has formed a group that will conduct misting operations in every town.

With the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) jampacked with dengue patients everyday, Mayor Michael Rama asked those from outside the city to go to other hospitals so as not to drain the city’s resources.

Of the average 28 dengue patients admitted at CCMC daily, chief of Hospital Myrna Go said 35 to 40 percent are from the province while the rest are city residents.

In just 21 days, the Cebu City Health Department (CHD) has recorded 180 dengue cases and one death within the city. But despite the surge in the number of dengue cases, there were fewer deaths compared in the same period last year.

DoH 7 Director Susana Madarieta said the department has set up a network with government health facilities and invited medical technologists from Negros Oriental to speed up assistance to patients suspected to be suffering from dengue fever.

The move is aimed at decongesting government hospitals, now swarmed with dengue patients.

“We established dengue fast lanes wherein patients suspected to have dengue would be prioritized and allowed to undergo laboratory tests for them to know whether they have dengue or not. They do not have to pass through the usual route,” Madarieta said.

Records from the Cebu City Epidemiology Statistics and Surveillance Unit show that as of August this year, the number of dengue cases already reached 1,175 – about 16.45 percent higher than the 1,009 cases recorded during the same period last year.

The Task Force Dengue in the Province of Cebu headed by Provincial Board Member Sergio Restauro started spraying activities in barangays as a way of preventing and eliminating additional dengue cases in the province.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who appointed Restauro to head the task force, said she has been asking the Provincial Health Office to fully coordinate and support the effort.

Capitol records show that the top 10 LGUs with the most dengue cases are Toledo City, 99; Talisay City, 89; Danao City, 88; Balamban, 86; Minglanilla, 61; Asturias, 53; Bogo City and Daanbantayan, 41; Liloan, 40; Argao, 38; and Medellin, 37.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Chinese Business Club in Manila has donated packs of anti-mosquito chemicals to the Iloilo City government on Thursday.

Ma. Mathilde Octavio, executive assistant to the city mayor, said more than 30 packs of mosquito larvicides were delivered to the city mayors office by the Philippine Chinese Business Club of Manila.