TACLOBAN CITY-The province of Southern Leyte is the latest area in Eastern Visayas to declare a state of calamity due to the rising cases of dengue fever.
On Friday (August 16), the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the province passed Resolution Number 630 declaring state of calamity across the province.
The declaration has now authorized Governor Damian Mercado office to make use of its quick response fund of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund to use in the procurement of fogging machines, and needed medicines to contain further spread of the dengue fever cases in the province which comprises Maasin City and 18 municipalities.
As of this week, the province has about 437 dengue fever cases of which three of them have died due to the mosquito-causing ailment which commonly affect children.
The declaration of the state of calamity was recommended by provincial health officer Dr. Feliciano Matbag, Jr. and the provincial disaster risk reduction management office.
The province of Southern Leyte is the third province in the region which declared a state of calamity due to dengue fever.
The provincial boards of Leyte, Eastern Samar, and Samar earlier declared a state of calamity due to dengue.
The cities of Ormoc and Tacloban also declared a state of calamity.
The regional Department of Health has reported that across the region, there are more than 12,300 dengue fever with 44 deaths in Eastern Visayas. (JOEY A. GABIETA)