DOH warns of dengue storm

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday warned the public of a possible “dengue storm” if a new strain of the mosquito-borne disease becomes predominant this year.

Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag said more people will contract the dengue virus if Type 2 or Type 4 strains become widespread.

“Last year, the predominant strains were Type 1 and Type 3 so if Type 2 will be the predominant strain this year, most likely we’ll see more severe dengue cases,” he said.

Type 2 is the most virulent strain of dengue compared to three other strains, Types 1, 3 and 4.

According to Tayag, the cycle of a dengue strain usually lasts for three years. People infected with a particular dengue strain develop a life-long immunity from that same strain, he added.

The DOH official said Types 1 and 3 were the most common dengue strains in the last three years.

If there will be a new predominant dengue strain this year, Tayag said a majority of people do not have immunity from this, which may lead to a significant rise in dengue cases.

“In dengue storm, cases in a particular place will double in number. We have to stop that from happening,” he said.

The DOH will determine the prevailing dengue strain by collecting and examining blood samples from patients.

“We really have to be serious in our 4 o’clock habit,” he added.

Under the 4 o’clock habit program, the public and local government leaders are urged to conduct massive cleanup of the environment and households to eliminate possible breeding sites of mosquitoes.

Records from the National Epidemiology Center showed that from Jan. 1 to May 25 this year, there were 37,895 dengue cases, with 172 deaths.

The figure was 1.93 percent higher than the 37,176 dengue cases recorded during the same period in 2012.