DAGUPAN CITY - Dengue cases continue to soar in Pangasinan with 647 patients already listed by the provincial health team of the Department of Health as of August 12 this year.

Only four deaths were reported by the team so far, correcting earlier report that listed down nine fatalities of dengue from January this year.

Dr. Gloria Balboa, assitant DOH regional director, said the number of patients were compiled from government and private hospitals and some rural health units that admitted the patients.

The first victim was from Rosales, the second from  Bautista, third from Basista and the latest who died August 8 was from San Nicolas.

Balboa said her office is still verifying the specific or immediate cause of death of these people.

“The fatalities are being investigated in order to ascertain lapses in detetion and management to hopefully guide health authorities to prevent more deaths,” said Balboa.

Statistics showed that more than half or 52 per cent of the patients are males with ages ranging from one month to 73 years old.

Based on the records, Dagupan City has still the most number reported dengue cases with 104 or 16 per cent of the cases.

Alaminos City has the second highest number of cases with 11.9 per cent followed by San Carlos with 9.5 per cent.

Balboa said the number of cases were unusually high during the rainy month of July till the first two weeks of August. However, the rainy season in Pangasinan is not yet over and may last till October yet.

She, however, assured that there is no cause of alarm as the number of cases recorded so far is not an indication of an outbreak.

Balboa noted that  because of heightened awareness on dengue, there are more people consulting hospitals now than before every time they feel signs of fever. (PNA)