A CIVIC organization donated P420,000 worth of larvicide to public schools in Central Visayas to help protect students from the dengue virus.

During the turnover ceremony yesterday, members of Rotary Club International District 3860 and Rotary Clubs in Cebu turned over boxes of Temephos larvicide to the Department of Education (DepEd) 7.

The larvicide will be distributed to all school divisions in the region and will be used simultaneously in 2,300 public schools and their surrounding areas within the month.

Dr. Wyben Briones, chairman of the Rotary Club Central Visayas’ Dengue-Free Movement, said there is a need to administer larvicide in public schools and communities due to the increasing number of dengue cases in the region.

According to the weekly report provided by Department of Health (DOH) 7 Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, the number of dengue cases in the region since Jan. 1 this year has reached 16,158.

Briones said that ever since they started donating Temephos to DepEd 7 in 2013, the number of dengue cases decreased.

Based on a report provided by the DepEd 7’s Health and Nutrition coordinator, the number of public schools in Cebu Province, including the divisions of Toledo and Bogo City, reported zero dengue cases in 2013.

But in other parts of Central Visayas, 153 public school students were hospitalized after getting the virus in school.

Briones said 10 grams of Temephos can cover one square meter and stays effective for three months.

Aside from Temephos, DOH-approved mitigation measures such as the 4S must also be practiced to ensure that dengue is eliminated in the community level, the surgeon said.

Dr. Juliet Jeruta, DepEd 7 director, thanked the Rotary Club for continuing to support the public schools in eliminating dengue-carrying mosquitoes.