Albay Province Declares State of Calamity Amid Dengue Outbreak

ALBAY, Philippines – The Provincial Government of Albay declared a state of calamity after recording 1,785 dengue cases and 14 fatalities as of Thursday, September 10. According to data from the Albay Provincial Health Office (PHO), Legazpi City logged the highest number of active cases at 378, with five fatalities, followed by Bacacay town with 254 active cases, and Daraga with 188 active cases and two fatalities. Active cases are currently being monitored across 15 other municipalities. The declaration allows the provincial government to mobilize emergency response efforts, implement immediate containment measures, and access quick response funds to procure critical medical supplies and testing kits. Albay Governor Noel Rosal said the declaration was deemed necessary as dengue cases continued to surge. He issued the declaration recommendation a day earlier, Wednesday, September 9. “We are already beyond the epidemic level compared to the last three years, according to the Department of Health Region V,” Rosal said. “Let us continue the barangay brigades and clean our respective areas.” Rosal had earlier issued Executive Order No. 51 on September 2, mandating sustained and community-based dengue prevention and control measures. “The province shall strengthen the Albay Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue as a mechanism for mobilization, source reduction, health education, early identification of public health concerns, reporting, referral, and coordination with appropriate health authorities,” the order stated. The Albay PHO urged residents to actively participate in community sanitation to halt transmission. “The continuous increase in cases is a clear call for more intensified, sustained, and collective action to prevent further illness and loss of life,” the PHO stated. “Let us not wait for another case to emerge or another life to be lost before taking action. Every area we clean and every mosquito breeding site we eliminate is a step toward stopping dengue and saving lives.” This marks the province’s first dengue-related state of calamity since 2019, when a similar declaration was issued alongside a national epidemic alert. – Rappler.com