SAN NICOLAS, Ilocos Norte, Philippines – With more than 200 residents suspected to be afflicted by the mosquito-borne chikungunya disease, a state of calamity has been declared in this town.
Vice Mayor Alfredo Valdez Jr., himself a doctor, said suspected chikungunya cases have been reported in four villages.
Valdez said municipal officials decided to declare a state of calamity to enable them to provide adequate funds for the procurement of medicine for the victims and to combat the disease.
He said he has alerted the provincial health office on the chikungunya cases here.
Earlier, Gov. Imee Marcos asked rural folk to maintain cleanliness in their surroundings, including areas where bamboo trees are abundant as mosquito nests are found in these places.
Most of the victims, according to Valdez, are adults, unlike in dengue cases where children are mostly affected. – Teddy Molina, Raymund Catindig, Charlie Lagasca