"We are doing everything to avert the rise in cases," Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit said, adding that cases have reached 5,099 from January to July 13 with at least 50 recorded deaths around the country.
At St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, management had to transform the chapel and conference room into emergency rooms to accommodate the growing number of patients apparently with dengue symptoms.
But a hospital official said of the 150 patients, only four tested positive for dengue.
Central Visayas and Metro Manila have the highest number of cases with 1,311 and 1,217, respectively. Fifty-three percent of those afflicted were male, with the majority between ages 1-9.
Clustering, or the occurrence of three or more cases in a barangay, was noted in the following areas: Malaria and Tala in Caloocan City; Sauyo Road, Quezon City; Malaya street, Tondo; Banago, Mandalagan, Taculing and Tangub in Bacolod City; Quebel, San Jacinto and Cato, Pangasinan; NHB, FVR, Norzagaray, Mahabang Parang and Sta. Maria in Bulacan; and Marikit, Pantabangan, Macapang and Rizal in Nueva Ecija.
Other areas where clustering was identified were Pinagdanlayan, Dolores, Quezon; Apas, Banawa, Capitol Hills, Guadalupe, Guinsay, Danao City, Nivel Hills, Lahug, Lawaan, Minglanilla, DAS, Lotopan, Toledo City, San Roque, Manbaling, Opao, Mandaue City, Yati and Liloan, Cebu; Balulang, CDO, Bayabas, Zone 4, Bugo, Carmen, Gusa, Kausawagan, Lapasan and Puntod in Cagayan de Oro City.
The number of cases from Guadalupe, Cebu City has been increasing in the past two weeks, said the DOH, which recommended detection and destruction of mosquito breeding sites.
Dayrit also commended efforts made by local leaders and school officials in sustaining clean-up campaigns in their respective communities. He also stressed the need to identify and destroy breeding sites as the best way to prevent the spread of dengue.
"We should all work together to prevent dengue cases. There is no reason why we cannot stop the spread of dengue if we all focus on one objective," he concluded.
Dengue is caused by bites of mosquito species called aegis egypti. the DOH said the outbreak of the disease is likely during the rainy season.
Since Monday, St. Luke’s Medical Center has had an unusual influx of patients complaining of dengue symptoms.
However, Rizabel Cloma-Santos, SLMC associate director for corporate affairs, clarified that of the 150 patients mostly from Quezon City, only four actually had dengue.
"It was not all dengue; some of the cases were diarrhea, chest pains, respiratory diseases and asthma. There’s no outbreak of dengue here as of this time," Santos told The STAR in an interview.
"Last Monday was really unusual. Too many people went here to have themselves checked up by the doctors for possible dengue affliction," Santos added.
She explained that SLMC management decided to temporarily convert the chapel and conference room into emergency rooms so that patients would not have to wait in the hospital hallway.
"We will try our best to check up all the patients that come here to prevent outbreak of any water-borne diseases, which we anticipate because of the weather," she said. –With Cecille Suerte Felipe