DOH: 16,324 dengue cases logged from June 5-July 2

The Philippines has recorded a total of 16,324 dengue cases from June 5 to July 2, 2022, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

Based on DOH’s National Dengue Data as of July 2, 20% or 3,196 of these 16,324 cases were logged in Central Luzon.

This was followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 1,729 dengue cases (11%), and Central Visayas with 1,703 cases (10%).

All in all, 65,190 dengue cases were registered nationally from January 1 to July 2, 2022, which was around 83% higher compared to the cases reported during the same period last year, the DOH noted.

There were only 35,715 dengue cases recorded from January 1 to July 2, 2021.

Nationally, deaths due to dengue also remained at 274, posing a 0.4% case fatality rate.

Of these deaths, 36 occurred in January; 32 in February; 39 in March; 46 in April; 63 in May; and 58 in June.

There were also 13 out of 17 regions that already exceeded the dengue epidemic threshold in the past four weeks or from June 5 to July 2, 2022, the DOH said.

Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Bangsamoro Region, and Cordillera Administrative Region also showed a “sustained increasing trend” of dengue cases during the same period, the agency added.

Cumulatively, most of the dengue cases or 14% were still reported in Central Luzon with 9,448 cases.

It was followed by Central Visayas with 7,771 cases (12%), and Zamboanga Peninsula with 5,708 cases (9%).

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier this month said the increase of dengue cases in the country is already alarming as some individuals are now being admitted in hospitals.

Vergeire also said the DOH earlier said it is open to studying again the possible evidence presented by dengue vaccine Dengvaxia in protecting the people against the virus.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Edsel Salvana on Friday stressed that Dengvaxia vaccine decreases the risk of severe infection as long as it is used properly. — RSJ, GMA News