DOH: Dengue cases continue to increase in 9 out of 17 regions

The number of dengue cases continues to increase in nine out of the Philippines 17 regions, Department of Health officer in charge Ma. Rosario Vergeire said on Friday.

In a statement on Saturday, the DOH said the nine regions that have recently exceeded the threshold in the past four weeks are Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Cordillera Administrative Region, and National Capital Region.

According to Vergeire, the country logged 23,414 dengue cases based on reports from July 3, 2022 to July 30, 2022.

She said 18,208 or 78% of the dengue cases had been hospitalized.

“Kaya lagi tayo nagpapaalala sa ating mga kababayan," Vergeire said.

"Kasama po sa 4S strategy ‘yung seek early consult kasi kung maagapan po natin ang mga sintomas ng dengue, hindi po kailangan ma ospital ang isang tao may dengue,” she added.

(That’s why we are reminding the public. Seeking early consultation is part of the 4S strategy so we can address the symptoms of dengue. You don’t need to get hospitalized because of dengue.)

The 4S strategy is to search and destroy breeding places, secure self-protection, seek early consultation, and support fogging/spraying in hotspot areas.

She urged the public to consult health centers immediately upon experiencing dengue symptoms such as a fever for two days or more.

“Libre po ang dengue test kits sa ating facilities para lang matiyak natin na wala tayong ganitong sakit,” Vergeire said.

(Dengue test kits are free in our facilities so we can ensure that we don’t have them.)

Further, she said the agency has downloaded funds to hospitals for additional resources in case of an increase in dengue admissions.

The DOH previously said it recorded a total of 102,619 dengue cases from January 1 to July 30, 2022, which is 131% higher than those recorded during the same period in 2021.  —NB, GMA News