MALABUYOC, Cebu, Philippines – While provinces in Luzon are now experiencing sudden outbursts of dengue cases, the province of Cebu saw lesser dengue cases and dengue-related deaths from January to August this year compared to the whole year in 2010.

Records obtained from Cebu’s Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) showed there were 3,150 dengue cases for the whole of last year compared to only 788 dengue cases from January 1, 2011 until Tuesday.

There were also only four dengue-related deaths in the first seven months of this year as compared to 33 dengue-related deaths in 2010.

IPHO chief, Dr. Cristina Giango attributed the decrease in dengue cases and deaths to the Office’s information drive efforts.

Last year, Minglanilla town topped the number of cases in the province at 288, followed by San Fernando with 238 cases, then Naga City with 206 cases. This year, Danao City, which was fifth in the list last year, topped the number of cases with 136, followed by Talisay City which was seventh last year, and then by Minglanilla.

The towns of Santa Fe and Boljoon, which were among the list of 49 municipalities and cities with dengue-related cases last year, were not in this year’s list. The towns of Alcoy, Alegria, Madridejos, Malabuyoc, Poro and Tudela each has only one case of dengue.

Giango said they are always doing a year-round information drive through their rural health centers in each city and municipality. The IPHO chief said future dengue cases are also prevented through misting wherein delmethrin, an anti-dengue chemical, is sprayed. This chemical kill dengue mosquitoes, particularly its larvae.