ANGELES CITY– An epidemic of dengue ailment mostly victimizing children– including one who died and three already in “critical condition” — has struck Batanes province, mostly the remote Itbayat Island, the Tarlac-based Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) said yesterday.
Nolcom said in a statement that it has dispatched a C295 plane of the Philippine Air Force and another from the Philippine Coast Guard to airlift some of at least 23 folk who were confi rmed to be stricken with dengue on the island.
Nolcom said one of the children died the other day, while three others were reported to be in “critical condition.”
The dengue epidemic was confirmed by two doctors who were also flown by Nolcom to the island, as the only clinic in Itbayat did not have any facility to deal with dengue cases.
Nolcom said its assistance to the island folk was in response to the appeal for help from Batanes Gov. Marilou Cayco who reported dengue epidemic in her province, mostly on Itbayat Island.
“Itbayat was the hardest hit where 23 cases, mostly victimizing children, were recorded as of July 4, 2018. Three of them were in critical condition due to low platelet count and in dire need of immediate medical attention and evacuation,” Nolcom said.
Nolcom said that Itbayat Island could be reached only by banca and had been isolated in the past days due to dangerous waves, so that the patients on the island could not sail to the Batanes General Hospital in the capital town of Basco on Batan Island.
Two doctors from the Batanes General Hospital have remained on Itbayat Island to attend to the patients, while patients with advanced stage of dengue were fl own to the general hospital.
