SANTIAGO - Ariel Diaz Castillo, just 20 months old, was the latest victom to succumb to dengue fever yesterday. Ariel is now the 10th child to have died from dengue in the province so far this year and the second death from the disease this week.

Ariel passed away in the Arturo Grullon Children's Hospital, and his family are pleading with Public Health authorities to intervene in the hospital to work out the number of cases of this disease, the poor conditions and the lack of beds and medical personnel.

His grandmother, Maria Duarte, told reportes that she claims there have been more fatalities from this disease but hospital officials are not reporting the full amount of people affected and that at times there are as many as five children with dengue in a bed and others have to stay and sleep on chairs.