Dengue cases in PHL surge to over 78,000 in 2015

The Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau reported on Thursday that the number of dengue cases in the country surged to 78,808 between Jan. 1 and Sept. 5 — a 16.5-percent increase from 67,637 cases within the same time period last year.

 

The most cases were recorded in the CALABARZON region (15.1 percent), Central Luzon (15 percent), National Capital Region or NCR (10.3 percent), Ilocos Region (8.2 percent), and Northern Mindanao (7.4 percent). 

 

The report added that the highest surges in dengue cases were recorded in the following regions: 

 

 

Despite the spike in the number of cases, the number of dengue-related deaths so far this year is at 233 cases, still lower than 297 last year. 

 

Bohol, Abra, and Pangasinan are facing a dengue outbreak while Bulacan and Cavite have already declared states of calamity because of the disease.  

 

According to the Bulacan Provincial Epidemiology Surveillance Unit, dengue cases in the area have reached more than 4,700 since January with 11 recorded deaths, a 228-percent increase from the 1,461 cases recorded in 2014.

 

Cavite provincial health officer Dr. George Repique said a total of 3,904 cases of dengue, with 16 fatalities, have been recorded in the province from January to Sept. 12. 

 

According to the DOH, dengue patients ranged from less than one month to 99 years old. Many of them were from the five to 14 age group, at 38.2 percent. Most of the dengue victims were also male, which took 53.2 percent of the total cases.

Symptoms

• sudden onset of high fever that may last from two to seven days 
• joint and muscle pain 
• pain behind the eyes 
• weakness
• skin rashes 
• nosebleeds when fever starts to subside
• abdominal pain
• vomiting of coffee-colored matter
• dark-colored stools 
• diffulty in breathing

— Trisha Macas/JDS, GMA News