Cebu province wary of rising dengue cases
Researchers in Florida have pinpointed the local overwintering habitats of Culiseta melanura mosquitoes that host eastern equine encephalitis virus. They hope targeted control efforts can cull those mosquitoes before they transmit the virus to birds that carry it north to other parts of the country.
Photo by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, via CDC Public Health Image Library
Dengue cases in Cebu province reached 2,324 from January to August 2026, including 17 recorded deaths, health officials disclosed Thursday.
Cebu Provincial Health Office (CPHO) chief Dr. Shiela Faciol said during the “Hisgutan Ta!” media forum, organized by Unilab, that infections have steadily increased since July.
Talisay City recorded the highest number of infections with 272 cases, followed by Toledo City with 217, Medellin with 182, Consolacion with 139, and Minglanilla with 114.
Faciol reminded residents that dedicated Dengue Fast Lanes remain operational across rural health units, as well as the 12 district and four provincial hospitals managed by the provincial government, to ensure prompt medical evaluation.
Health officials also reported 72 cases of leptospirosis during the same period, with Talisay City logging the most infections.
Faciol also raised concerns over low immunization rates, noting that the province’s measles-rubella vaccination coverage has reached only 19.7 percent.
She urged parents to consult healthcare professionals at local clinics rather than relying on unverified social media claims opposing the campaign.
The CPHO chief stressed that health authorities will continue pushing for full coverage to ensure children receive free measles and rubella vaccines across local communities.