Influenza-like illnesses up 45% this year to 114,000 cases —DOH

The Philippines recorded 114,278 influenza-like illnesses from January 1 to December 3 this year, 45% higher than the total logged in the same period in 2021, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

Twenty-nine percent or 32,778 cases were aged 1 to 4 years old.

Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire urged the public to immediately isolate once symptoms of influenza-like illnesses are experienced such as fever, flu, and cough.

Vergeire stressed that it is better to be safe as the symptoms are “almost the same” as COVID-19.

“So hindi po pwede tayo magkaroon ng parang complacency na ay trangkaso ito. Para lang tayo sigurado at para hindi kumalat ang impeksyon, tayo po ay mag-isolate once we feel these kinds of symptoms,” she said during a media briefing.

(So we can’t be complacent that it is only flu. So we can be sure that the sickness will not spread, let us isolate once we feel these kinds of symptoms.)

The DOH has recommended an extension of the state of calamity in the Philippines due to COVID-19.

At present, the country has recorded a total of 4,062,191 COVID-19 cases, including 15,472 active infections. — BM, GMA Integrated News