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HEALTH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III on Monday declared a National Dengue Alert, citing the rapidly increasing number of cases observed in several regions.
From January 1 to June 29 this year, most cases listed were from Western Visayas (13,164), Calabarzon (11,474), Central Visayas (9,199), Soccsksargen (9,107) and Northern Mindanao (8,739). Dengue cases nationwide have now reached a cumulative figure of 106,630. This is 85 percent higher compared to the same period last year (57,564).
Duque explained that dengue cases have been observed to peak every three to four years. He added that early detection and proper case management can prevent deaths. The last peak occurred in 2016, and given this pattern, the DOH expects an increase in cases this year. Dengue is a viral disease with no known vaccine or specific antibiotics. Effective surveillance can also help in reducing cases and deaths if areas with clustering of cases are identified early. Signs and symptoms of disease are severe headache, pain behind the eyes, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and skin rashes.
Additional information on Dengue outbreaks in Southeast Asia available at WHO:
https://iris.wpro.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665.1/14329/Dengue-20190620.pdf
