Despite the government’s all-out campaign against the spread of dengue fever, the deadly mosquito-borne disease continues to claim more lives on Tuesday with the death toll in Mindanao rising to 15, while 11 other persons were reported to have died in Cebu.

Health authorities noted the rise of cases attributed to the dreaded disease in at least two regions in Mindanao with 4,065 persons reported infected as of Tuesday.

In Northern Mindanao — comprising the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon and Camiguin — at least 10 persons succumbed to the disease among the 2,345 cases reported from January to June this year, health authorities reported.

In Northeastern Mindanao -- comprising the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte and the cities of Butuan, Bislig, Surigao, Tandag, Bayugan and Cabadbaran -- health authorities also reported the death of five persons, mostly children, while 1,720 were stricken with the disease in the past six months.

In Cagayan de Oro alone, the City Health Office recorded 500 dengue cases, including five deaths, from January to June this year. Last year, cases only reached 300 during the same period.

Of the recorded cases this year, Bukidnon had 517, higher from last year's 47 cases.

Dr. David Mendoza, head of the Epidemiology Department of the Department of Health (DoH), said the province is now being referred to as the "dengue hotspot" in the region.

In Misamis Oriental, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ignacio Moreno said they have already recorded 571 cases from January to June this year, a far cry from the 171 cases recorded during the same period last year.

At least 10 deaths were recorded in the province's 571 dengue cases, Moreno said.

Most of the dengue cases in the province came from the municipality of Tagoloan where 118 residents were reported infected. The first fatality was recorded in the town, particularly in Barangay Natumolan.

Other barangays in the town with high incidence of dengue cases include Poblacion with 35 and Sta. Cruz, 28.

Moreno said for two years there had been no dengue case reported in Barangay Natumolan.

Aside from Tagoloan, the other areas in Misamis Oriental with high incidence of dengue cases include Gingoog City with 86 and Villanueva, 54.

From January to June this year, Gingoog City also had 86 cases of dengue while Villanueva town had 54.

Personnel of the DoH in Caraga region and Region 10 have been mobilized to help community health officers in stopping the spread of the dreaded disease.

Health officials in the two regions asked the local government units (LGUs) to continue without let up their massive information campaign against dengue. Health officials also tapped the Department of Education (DepEd) in the massive information drive.

In Caraga region, most of the victims have been admitted in various hospitals in the cities of Butuan, Surigao and Bislig and provincial and community hospitals in the four provinces and three other component cities in the region.

Health officials in the field said five deaths were reported in the Caraga region, two from Surigao City and one each from Cabadbaran City, Magallanes, Agusan del Norte and San Francisco, Surigao del Norte.

Based on the DoH-Caraga disease surveillance report, Butuan had the highest number of dengue cases with 432.

Meanwhile, at least 11 persons died due to dengue in Cebu province in the first half of the year, the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) said on Tuesday.

IPHO Dengue Coordinator Rosalinda Jao said the number of fatalities this year represented an increase of nearly 50 percent of the fatalities recorded in the same period last year.

The 11 fatalities were reported in the localities of Argao, Asturias, Ginatilan, Moalboal, Medellin, Compostela and Pinamungajan.

Aside from the fatalities, Jao said 548 dengue cases have been recorded from January to June this year, or 180 cases more compared to the 368 cases recorded in the same period of last year.

Danao City recorded the highest number of cases with 64, followed by Asturias town and Talisay City with 52. Toledo City had 44 cases while Carmen recorded 19.

Meanwhile, another R5 million worth “impregnated” mosquito nets will be installed in 24 elementary schools in Region 10 following a “near epidemic proportion” of dengue cases, according to the regional director of the DoH, Dr. Jaime Bernadas.

The 24 schools will be the second batch that will be receiving this World Health Organization-recommended nets made of “Olyset Net” fibers. Another batch is expected to receive the mosquito nets within this year.

“These nets are already available for the 24 schools, we are now just waiting for these schools for their proper implementation," Bernadas said.

Last March, the DoH started giving impregnated nets to 12 pilot schools worth P3 million. Bernadas said they based their distribution of curtains according to the most reported cases within the area.

Based on the regional data as of July 9, a total of 2,667 dengue cases were reported from 29 hospital sentinel sites in the region, about 233 percent higher compared to the same period last year which only reported 800 cases. There were 41 deaths already, compared to nine deaths last year.

The province of Bukidnon ranks first in the provincial level with an increase of 930 percent with the municipality of Kalilangan, Bukidnon having the most number of cases.

DoH Secretary Enrique Ona, meanwhile, is set to visit Digos City in Region 11 on Thursday.

Health authorities said maintaining cleanliness is the best way to avoid the spread of the disease.

They urged the public to help battle dengue-causing mosquito species Aedes Aegypti by eliminating possible breeding sites. These mosquitoes are day-biting and thrive in clean but stagnant water.

The DoH warned that with the onset of the rainy season, dengue outbreaks would likely occur in affected areas, particularly in low-lying areas where children are mostly victims.

In Cebu City, the City Health Department is advising residents to keep their surroundings clean and implement measures to prevent the dengue mosquitoes from breeding.

Durinda Macasucol, assistant city epidemiologist, issued the appeal after announcing a 112-percent rise in dengue cases in the city from January to May this year when compared to the dengue cases over the same period last year.

Macasucol said she expected the increase in dengue cases to continue with the start of the rainy season.

Macasucol said the health department is intensifying anti-dengue campaigns such as mist spraying, fogging operations, and declogging of canals where mosquitoes are expected to breed. (With a report from Nef Luczon)