BAGUIO CITY — This mountain resort city is winning the campaign against the dreaded dengue as its relentless effort to reduce the disease caused by filthy environment due to the piling up of tons of garbage in the city’s streets has gained international recognition.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has cited the efforts of the local government following the zero fatality on dengue in the city since the start of the year.

WHO also chose the city as the pilot area in the country for its anti-dengue program to enable the same to be utilized in identified critical areas nationwide once the program turns successful.

The prestigious international organization will be turning over mesh covers and guppies which would help the city health department lessen dengue cases, especially in the different barangays earlier labeled as high-risk areas due to increased number of dengue cases over the past several years.

The insecticide-impregnated mesh is available to cover the attic space while guppies eat mosquito larvae.

The 15 city barangays which were declared as high-risk areas because of continuous increase in dengue cases during a three-year period include Engineer’s Hill, Aurora Hill, Santa Escholastika, New Lucban, Holyghost, City Camp, Hillside, Irisan, Quezon Hill, Kias, San Luis, Dominican-Mirador, Trancoville, and Asin.

Dengue fever is a dreaded infection caused by dengue virus, which is transmitted by the bite of an aedes mosquito that thrives on stagnant and clear water, especially in unsanitary environment.

The signs and symptoms of dengue fever include high continuous fever lasting from 2-7 days, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, muscle and joint pains, abdominal pain, nose or gum bleeding, and red spots in the different parts of a person’s body.