The Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas has expressed support for fogging activities to combat the rising cases of dengue fever in the region.

DOH regional information officer Jelyn Lopez-Malibago said fogging is highly recommended in communities with high cases of the mosquito-borne disease.

“Dengue is a fatal disease and in order to avoid emergency cases and deaths, we have to implement precautionary measures such as fogging,” Malibago said in a press briefing Wednesday.

Other strategies to fight the disease include searching and destroying of mosquito breeding places, seeking early consultation, and self-protection methods.

Dengue cases this week rose to 1,568 from 1,361 last week, according to DOH. One more victim died, raising the dengue death toll to six this year.

The additional death was reported in Ormoc City, Leyte. Earlier, deaths have been reported in Jaro, Leyte; Taft, Eastern Samar; Maasin City and Padre Burgos in Southern Leyte, and Calbayog City, Samar.

Of the 1,568 cases in the region, 613 cases were recorded in Leyte, 500 in Southern Leyte, 174 in Samar, 117 in Eastern Samar, 105 in Biliran, and 59 in Northern Samar.

Clustering of cases has been recorded in Ormoc City, Baybay City, and Palo, in Leyte province; Llorente and Taft in Eastern Samar; Laoang in Northern Samar; Naval in Biliran province, Padre Burgos, San Juan, Saint Bernard, Pintuyan, and Maasin City in Southern Leyte; and Catbalogan City and Catbalogan and Sta. Margarita in Samar province. (PNA)