The Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of Central Visayas has found a total of 859 dengue cases and 11 deaths in the region from January 1 to February 20 this year.

The figure is 56.4 percent higher compared to the same period last year which recorded 549 cases and 10 deaths.

The victims range from 1 month to 70 years old, the Department of Health (DoH) said, adding that 54 percent of the victims are male.

“Most of the cases belonged to 6-10 years old age group (28 percent). Majority of the cases are from Cebu City, 28 percent; followed by Danao City, 5.8 percent; Talisay City, 5.4 percent; Lapu-Lapu City, 4.3percent; and Tagbilaran City, 3.8 percent.”

Six of the fatalities were in Cebu City and the rest in other municipalities, Dr. Rennan Cimafranca, Head of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) of Central Visayas said.

The figure is “significant” because it shows that dengue cases are really increasing.

Cimafranca explained that dengue cases usually peak during the third quarter of the year and slowly drops by the end of the year. But in this case, he said, the cases have spilled over to 2010 so there are more cases this year than 2009 within the said period.

In 2009, a total of 6,878 cases were admitted and 78 deaths recorded in sentinel hospitals in the region.

Cebu City registered the highest number of dengue cases with 957, followed by Lapu-Lapu City, 745; and Dumaguete City, 531.