Davao City Still Safe for Tourists Despite Malaria Outbreak

Davao City Health Office amidst various reports on the outbreak of malaria here has assured the tourism industry not to worry as it has already done measures to contain the disease.

Chief Health Officer (CHO) Josephine Villafuerte explained that malaria and dengue diseases are alarming in the periphery of Gumitan and Paquibato and not necessarily in Davao’s urban centers, which she said cannot be a cause of worry to the tourism industry. “It is only in the periphery where most of the lumads are malnourished and so the immunity is very low”. Villafuerte said.

Earlier last week after CHO documented positive cases of Malaria and Dengue immediately dispatched a team to conduct active case detection by doing blood smear on potential victims of malaria parasites in the outskirt Barangays Gumitan and Paquibato, noted to have the highest number of malaria cases late of June this year which now rises to the level of an outbreak.

Villafuerte in justifying the outbreak however said there is a doubling of malaria cases compared to that of last year. “Last year, we only have 17 reported cases of Malaria and we have less than 20 reported cases in 2008. In the first six months of 2010 we already have 183 persons found to be positive with this disease ”, she added.

Local Government’s measures to control spreading the disease in the dreaded areas include rapid diagnostic tests and treatment of the victims. Villafuerte emphasized inter-border activities of her team (referring to the two barangays) to include indoor residuals and clearing of streams as potential breeding sites for mosquitoes.

“They did indoor residuals, so nag spray sila sa mga bahay-bahay para yung lamok pagdumapo sa walls mamatay”, she added.

City Health is also giving mosquito nets impregnated with chemicals to households in the areas. Villafuerte said that the saturation has the formula of killing the mosquito once it touches the mosquito net the killing efficiency of which could last for 5 years.

Villafuerte was quick to respond as a matter of precaution that because the disease is a mosquito-borne infection, people in the urban areas need to devise measures not to give mosquitoes a chance to lay eggs anywhere. “If you have symptoms like recurring fever, you should not hesitate to see a doctor immediately and have yourself examined”, she said. (CIO/Roldan G. Gorgonio)