Dengue cases in the past two months of this year revealed an alarming figure which claimed two lives from Iloilo and four from Capiz. As of August 12, 2002, the Department of Health monitored a total of 1,679 dengue cases in the region.  The highest cases was reported in the province of Capiz, 456 cases; followed by Iloilo province, 327 cases; and Negros Occidental, 324 cases. The province of Aklan however, recorded the lowest cases of dengue (8 cases).  The recorded 327 dengue cases in Iloilo (as of August 12, 2002) showed a 12 percent increase  from the 292 cases  recorded as of July, 2002.

      The Local Government Units of Iloilo in cooperation with the Philippine National Red Cross and other private institutions spearhead a series of blood letting activity to meet the growing demand for blood due to the increasing cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever not only in the province of Iloilo but in the entire region of Western Visayas.  In the province of Capiz, however, the Bureau of Fire Protection is in full support to the Local Government Units' fight against dengue outbreak in the Province. A blood letting activity was conducted at the Roxas City Fire Station in August 29, 2002.