The #6 story on our countdown of the Top Stories of 2019 marks the first time in 75 years that Guam recorded its first locally-acquired case of dangerous Dengue Fever.

In September, the Department of Public Health went into full attack mode, activating their Arboviral Disease Response Plan. Linda Denorcey, director of Public Health, told KUAM News the tactical plan, "includes our whole team of public health individuals, such as our epidemiologist, specialist, and also the environmental health laboratory to join and do all forces for vector control. We e really want to eradicate it and fumigate these areas that are highly at risk for the mosquito transmission."

Public Health hit the streets to spread awareness. The numbers of confirmed locally acquired cases continued to climb. Multiple public schools and villages were sprayed as cases popped-up.

Guam Homeland Security spokesperson Jenna Gaminde Blas said, "Residents should definitely be concerned as far as being able to take themselves and their homes. The Department of Public Health has released a lot of information about ways that you can mitigate the spread of mosquitos."

Additionally in an effort to mitigate the spread of dengue the government stepped in cleaning debris in areas where dengue fever was detected.  However, this then led to several island residents reaching out to their respective mayors to clean their backyard.

"The side effect of that is that other residents in other village are saying if the government can do it for them they can do it for us," said Angel Sablan, executive director of the Mayor's Council of Guam. Dededo Mayor Melissa Savares added, "The bottom line is everyone is saying Joe Public says they feel because this was done in Swamp Road because of dengue, that it's the government's responsibility. We need to end that mentality - it's not the government s responsibility to clean their private property."

Before the closure of the Department of Public Health's Mangilao headquarters, the last count of confirmed locally acquired dengue cases was 13, while imported cases were at seven.