THIRTY-ONE people have died in Central Visayas after dengue cases breached the 3,000 mark in just over four months this year.From January to May 7 this year, the number of dengue cases reached 3,177, with Cebu City accounting for the highest number of cases at 708 or 22.3 percent of cases, according to the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit in Central Visyas (Resu 7).Of the 708 cases in Cebu City, 11 died.Lapu-Lapu City followed with 444 cases or 14 percent, Mandaue City with 214 cases or 6.7 percent, Talisay City with 177 cases or 5.6 percent, and Minglanilla with 138 cases or 4.3 percent.Resu 7 said the 31 deaths in Central Visayas meant a one percent case fatality rate (CFR).Cebu accounted for 29 of the deaths, while Negros Oriental accounted for two.The 3,177 cases is 287 percent higher than the 820 cases reported in the same period in 2021 when there were only four reported deaths or a CFR of 0.5.Of the 3,177 dengue cases this year, 3,146 survived: 2,469 in Cebu, 468 in Bohol, 195 in Negros Oriental and 14 in Siquijor.As for the age distribution, the median of cases was 34 years old from the patients ranging in age from a month old to 91 years old.Males were more commonly affected at 1,673 cases or 52.7 percent of them.Other local government units in the region with reported cases of dengue include Consolacion with 108, Liloan with 98 and one death, Toledo City with 79 and one death, Tagbilaran City with 74, Talibon with 71, Danao City with 63 and one death, Naga City with 58 and one death, Argao with 47, Cordova with 45, Compostela with 39, Carmen with 33, San Fernando with 31, Canlaon City and Carcar City with 29 each, Ubay with 28, Medellin with six and one death, Alcoy with four and one death, Dumaguete City with 19 and one death, and Bayawan with 14 and one death.1,000% increaseThe Cebu City Health Department (CHD) recorded a lower number of dengue cases in Cebu City.It said it had recorded 422 dengue cases in the city from January to May 2022 so far, a more than 1,000 percent increase from the numbers in the same period last year.Of the 422 recorded cases, 13 individuals had already succumbed to the mosquito-borne disease, CHD Chief Dr. Jeffrey Ibones told SunStar Cebu Wednesday, May 18, 2022.Ibones said that over the same period in 2021, the CHD had recorded only 36 cases. This means an increase of 1,172 percent in the number of cases.Based on the CHD’s data, most of the individuals who caught the virus were children, but Ibones warned adults that dengue does not choose any age.SymptomsIbones said possible symptoms of dengue are fever, body malaise, abdominal pain, vomiting, and in severe cases, bleeding.With the symptoms being vague, Ibones urged individuals who are experiencing symptoms of dengue to undergo laboratory examinations to confirm if they have the disease.Early detection is important for dengue cases since the disease can be easily treated in its earlier stage and the symptoms are mild, he said.Ibones said a possible reason for the increase in cases is the water deposited from the rainfall brought by Typhoon Odette (Rai) last December 16 and Tropical Depression Agaton (Megi) last month.He added that they had already sent a letter to the barangay officials in the city to activate their Anti-Dengue Task Force to “search and destroy” possible nesting grounds of the dengue-carrying mosquitoes.Ibones also urged the residents in the city to conduct clean-up drives within their premises to decrease the chances of the mosquitoes propagating.”Dili ni makaya nga sa Cebu City Health Department lang. Kinahanglan gyud mag tinabangay ta para ma sumpo ug ma decrease ang kaso sa atong dengue,” said Ibones.(This cannot be carried out by the Cebu City Health Department alone. We must work together to control and decrease our dengue cases.) (MKG, IRT)