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GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/9 Sept) – Health authorities here recorded three new confirmed deaths due to dengue fever since last week, bringing the number of confirmed fatalities due to the mosquito-borne disease to nine. A report from the City Integrated Health Services Office (CIHSO) said three young children from separate dengue-hit villages in the city succumbed in less than a week to complications caused by the dengue hemorrhagic fever, which already surged to 1,220 cases here since January. Dr. Jacinto Makilang, acting city health officer, said the three new dengue victims died after they were rushed to the City District Hospital at Stage 4 or already at the critical stage of dengue. “They were already diagnosed with toxic dengue and their blood platelet counts were too low when they were brought for treatment,” he told reporters. The first fatality, identified as four-year-old Adrian Joshua Pelone of Purok Saeg in Barangay Calumpang, died last Saturday, three days after he was brought to the hospital due to suspected dengue. Adrian’s mother Jasmine told reporters that they rushed the boy to the hospital last Thursday due to a recurring high fever earlier that week. But she said hospital personnel already diagnosed Adrian’s infection at Stage 4 and recommended his transfer to a private hospital for further treatment. “We didn’t have any choice. We’re not able to transfer him to a private hospital because we couldn’t raise the P30,000 required for the treatment,” the elder Pelone said. On Tuesday, another dengue victim identified as five-year-old Ricky Castro Jr. of Barangay Mabuhay died at around midnight due to severe case of dengue. Ricky’s sister Cresie Mae said the boy initially had recurring high fever last Friday but his temperature reportedly went normal by Sunday. But she said Ricky suddenly turned weak early Tuesday prompting them to bring him to a private doctor for check-up. Upon the doctor’s recommendation, Cresie Mae said they brought Ricky to the City District Hospital but his platelet count has already dropped to below normal and was considered in critical condition. The third dengue fatality, four-year-old Aliana Laude of Barangay Lagao, was only reported Wednesday to have died after she was rushed to a hospital here at a critical stage of dengue infection. Makilang said they already dispatched the CIHSO’s sanitary inspectors and personnel from the city epidemiology and surveillance unit to check on the communities where the latest dengue fatalities came. He said they launched clean-up drives and reminded residents anew to remain vigilant against the possible spread of dengue. “There’s no cure for dengue as of this time. So it’s very important for our residents to regularly clean up their surroundings of possible breeding places of dengue-carrying mosquitoes and to always seek immediate medical consultation in case of dengue infection,” Makilang said. (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews)