BuCor orders close monitoring amid rising dengue cases

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. ordered Thursday close monitoring of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and personnel amid rising dengue cases.

Catapang instructed health service chiefs in prison facilities to implement preventive measures recommended by Chief Superintendent Ma Cecilia Villanueva, including robust actions to minimize disease transmission within BuCor facilities and timely reporting of any confirmed cases to local authorities.

The director general emphasized the importance of these proactive steps based on a Department of Health (DOH) report showing 28,334 dengue cases across eight local government units from January 1 to February 1, marking a 40 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Quezon City has declared a dengue outbreak with at least 10 deaths, including eight minors, and recorded nearly 200% more cases compared to last year.

The DOH reported that eight additional areas in the country may soon declare dengue outbreaks.