Massive cleanup in schools after 11 deaths from dengue

CEBU, Philippines - Public elementary and high schools in Cebu City participated in a simultaneous cleanup drive yesterday afternoon in the hope of eradicating breeding grounds of dengue-carrying mosquitoes that have already claimed the lives of 11 students this year.

“It was done as designed. Some schools were able to let the parents come and participate. Basically, it is designed to make our schools free of mosquito breeding sites,” said DepEd City Division Supt. Bianito Dagatan.

Since January, 844 students have been afflicted with dengue and 11 have died.

Of those who perished, three were from Barangay Luz Elementary School and one each from Barangay Luz Night High School, Talamban Elementary School, Lahug Elementary School, Busay Elementary School, San Nicolas Elementary School, Pung-ol Sibugay Integrated School, Kalunasan Elementary School, and Labangon Elementary School.

Councilor Joy Augustus Young who is tasked to oversee the operation of all public elementary and high schools in the city, said most of those afflicted with dengue were female. He said this could be because they are more vulnerable to mosquito bites, unlike male students who wear pants.

Based on the consolidated report of DepEd’s Cebu City Division, North District 7 has the most number of dengue cases with 105 cases, including four deaths.

North District 7 is comprised of Agsungot Integrated, Apas National High School, Apas Night High School, Barrio Luz Elem and Night High School, and Camp Lapu-Lapu Elementary School.

Barrio Luz Elementary School recorded 47 cases with three deaths, Barrio Luz Night High School recorded 25 cases with one death, Camp Lapu-Lapu recorded 24 cases, and Apas Night High School with nine cases. No case was recorded in the school in Agsungot.

Meanwhile, South District 4 recorded 95 cases with three deaths. Labangon Elementary School recorded 37 cases, Kalunasan Elementary School recorded 12 cases, and Sibugay Elementary School recorded 14 cases, among others.

Young said mitigating efforts should already be in place, considering that the City Council has placed the whole city under a state of calamity precisely because of the rising number of dengue cases.

In his October 19 memorandum, Dagatan said the cleanup drive was undertaken to address the rising dengue cases in different schools.

He said DepEd has to implement preventive measures in coordination with parents, teachers, and the students themselves to ensure that schools are clean and free of mosquito breeding sites.

“No class next week so dapat manglimpyo today to ensure na walay mga tubig nga stagnant aron walay kitikiting mamugna sa semana nga walay klase. Kon muulan man next week piro walay mga container nga posibleng mapundo ang ulan, so walay kaitlugan sa lamok,” he said yesterday.

Dagatan asked public schools district supervisors and district officers-in-charge to submit monitoring and documentation reports on the cleanup drive not later than October 26. — Jean Marvette A. Demecillo and Rene U. Borromeo (FREEMAN)