Philippine dengue cases up by 36%

MANILA, Philippines – Despite the availability of a vaccine, the number of dengue cases increased by 35.7 percent in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year.

The Department of Health (DOH) Epidemiology Bureau recorded a total of 57,026 dengue cases from January to June 25 this year, which is way above the 42,026 cases posted during the same period a year ago.

Of the total cases, 248 have died. The age group with the highest fatality rate is less than a year old.

Most of the dengue cases are from Calabarzon, which accounted for 13.1 percent of the total cases, followed by Central Visayas with 10.1 percent and Central Luzon with 9.7 percent.

More than half of the dengue patients were male, and most of them belonged to five to 14 years age group.

Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial has warned of a possible rise in cases of dengue with the onset of the rainy season.

Last February, the world’s first dengue vaccine was made available in the local market and the DOH immediately launched the school-based dengue immunization drive for public school students.

However, the DOH said the vaccine cannot prevent the spread of dengue if the public would not clean their surroundings.

Destroying all possible breeding sites of mosquitoes is the best way to prevent dengue, which is caused by a bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquito.

A person with dengue suffers from high fever, joints and muscle pains, weakness, skin rashes, abdominal pain, vomiting, dark-colored stool and difficulty in breathing.