KALIBO, Philippines (PIA)  – Some 121 dengue cases were listed by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) from January 1 of this year up to August 15, or a period of 33 weeks.

This record, Provincial Health Officer I Dr. Cornelio V. Cuachon Jr. said, is 75 percent lower compared to last year’s 477 cases for the same period.

Two of the cases during the period this year came from other provinces, PHO records showed.

For the period, Kalibo listed the highest number of cases with 39, followed by New Washington, 13; Malay, nine; Malinao and Numancia, seven each; Batan, six, while the rest, except Madalag which had zero case, listed 5 and below.

In 2010, Kalibo also listed the highest number of dengue cases.

Cuachon attributed this phenomenon to Kalibo’s relatively big population compared with other areas in the province.

There is no reported death in Aklan caused by dengue for the period, according to Cuachon, but he called on Aklanons to be very careful with the rise of dengue cases elsewhere.

“Dengue infection is now all year-round. There are even cases during the summer, so people should be extra careful. Dengue-causing mosquitoes lay their eggs in clear, stagnant waters, so people should cover their stored water. Emply cans, bottles, coconut shell, tires and other things that store rain water should be destroyed or turned upside down,” Cuachon said.