Rey Anthony Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 29, 2012 (PIA) – If dengue then can manifest in “by the books†symptoms, health practitioners now are in for tougher times in dealing with the disease that has nipped lives of at least 10 Boholanos since January this year.
A nurse who sits as Provincial Dengue Program Coordinator, Polizena Rances and a medical officer based at the schools’ division office here confirmed that the new dengue strain, brought by the aedes aegypti mosquitoes, carries symptoms that were not the usual indicators of the disease.
Rances, and Dr. Aida Calamba of the Department of Education (DepEd) here said that dengue then, can be confirmed following symptoms which can be “read†from their college books: headaches, three days high fever, vomiting, exhaustion, rashes, swelling in the lymph nodes, intense joint and muscle pains, and low platelet count.
Now however,
dengue fever however has exhibited quite disturbing symptoms which may lead conflicting medical differential diagnosis, both medical practitioners warned.
Explaining more on “off the books manifestationâ€, Rances said
fevers associated with dengue now may not be as high unlike then, or platelet count can go erratic that proper medical monitoring is needed.
Months ago, health sources revealed that
dengue has become more virulent, and the disease comes out during rainy seasons, when mosquitoes would have ideal breeding places where water collects after the rain.
At the weekly Kapihan sa PIA on Dengue Thursday, June 28, 2012, Rances bared dengue has hit 273 patients in Bohol from January to the third week of June.
Since then too, ten patients have died marking a case fatality rate of 3.66% in Bohol.
This, according to provincial epidemiology surveillance unit (PESU) through Fritzie Olaguir, is way too high based on the Department of Health standards of 1% of the total cases.
Over this, Olaguir also said most fatalities came to hospitals at a rather late admission.
While several patients arrived at the hospitals and health facilities in time, and were properly treated, some of them came too late, proving that tarrying is fatal in dengue cases.
Dr. Calamba, whose agency has spearheaded an anti dengue drive in schools said while prevention of the disease is still a layman’s best defense, seeking immediate medical attention is a crucial step in
dengue treatment.
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