Dengue "outbreak" pronouncement today

CEBU, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) Central Visayas Office will formally declare today an "outbreak" of dengue cases in six barangays in Region 7.

Renan Cimafranca, DOH 7 head of the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit, said that these six barangays are in Cebu, Bohol and Negros Oriental.

Cimafranca said that from January 1 to September 25, 2010, Central Visayas has recorded 8,708 dengue cases. The number is 75.5 percent higher as compared to the same period last year wherein only 4,961 dengue cases were recorded.

Of the recorded dengue cases this year, more than 5,000 were in Cebu while around 2,000 cases were in Cebu City.

Health authorities recorded a total of 63 deaths.

Cimafranca added that the number of dengue cases is still expected to rise.

"As of now, peak season sa dengue pa gyud ta," Cimafranca told The Freeman.

Some of the symptoms of dengue are sudden onset of high fever which may last from two to seven days; joint and muscle pains including pain behind the eyes; weakness; skin rashes; nosebleeding; abdominal pains; vomiting of coffee-colored matter and dark-colored stools.

There are currently no vaccines for dengue fever, a severe flu-like illness also called as breakbone fever.

DOH Secretary Enrique Ona earlier said that the increase in dengue cases can be attributed to the continuous rains.

He reminded the public that dengue, although an all-year round disease, is more common during rainy days when there are more breeding sites for the Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes. (FREEMAN)