DOH: Don't experiment with 'tawa-tawa' as dengue cure

The Department of Health on Monday advised the public to follow its standards for home treatment and seek medical advice when treating dengue instead of experimenting with supposed alternatives like drinking tea out of the "tawa-tawa" plant. In a press briefing in Malacanang, Dr. Eric Tayag of the DOH's National Epidemiology Center said drinking tawa-tawa tea can "potentially aggravate" the condition of dengue patients as it could induce peeing, which could lead to further dehydration. "This is not the right time to experiment on tawa-tawa. We need a controlled environment to observe the benefits of tawa-tawa among patients," he said. "We don’t want mothers to concoct any formulation to any patients who may suspect to have dengue because we have the standards for treatment at home and they can easily go to hospitals for expert advice," said Tayag. Tayag said those who want to treat dengue at home should drink an oral rehydration solution (Oresol) or mix their own "181" rehydration solution: one liter of water mixed with eight teaspoons of sugar and one teaspoon of salt. As of August 28, there have been more than 69,000 reported dengue incidences, including 501 deaths, Tayag said. However, he quickly added that the DOH expects the number to decline as the rainy season comes to a close in the next few weeks. He said most of the regions have reported decreases in the number of dengue cases, while only a few like the National Capital Region have reported increases in the number of those affected by the disease. The most affected area in the NCR is Quezon City with 1,800 cases, followed by Manila City and Caloocan City, said Tayag. He said the DOH is trying to confirm whether another one of the four existing dengue strains can now be found in Metro Manila. Previously, only one strain was found in the area. Tayag said most hospitals around Metro Manila are capable of handling dengue cases, adding that most of the cases could be treated at home. "The death rates have continued to be below one percent, and that's a very good sign that we don't have a very virulent strain right now that can cause an alarm," he said. –VVP, GMANews.TV