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MANILA, July 15 (Xinhua) – The Philippines on Monday announced "national warning against dengue fever" in several parts of the Philippines because of the "growing number of cases" in these areas.
From January 1 to June 29, 2019, the Philippine Ministry of Health reported that 106,630 cases of dengue fever have been reported nationwide, an increase of 85% over the 57,564 cases reported during the last year. same period last year, and at least 450 registered deaths.
Among the regions that have crossed the epidemic threshold, the DOH described are Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao.
"This is the first time we declare a national alert.Because the goal is very clear.We want to educate the public and, what is more importantly, in communities where the signs of it are. an early increase in dengue fever are evident, "said Health Secretary Francisco Duque. I said.
There is still no national epidemic in the Philippines as dengue cases are so far confined to these four regions, he added.
"We do not have a national epidemic, it is localized, there is no national epidemic but there is certainly a region," Duque said.
Duque said the DOH was closely monitoring other parts of the country to "exceed the alert threshold".
In the Philippines, dengue fever has been reported to peak every three to four years.
"The last peak reached in 2016. Given this trend, the DOH expects an increase in the number of cases this year," Duque said.
Dengue fever is a viral disease with no known vaccine or specific antibiotic. Effective surveillance helps reduce the number of cases and deaths if case-finding areas are identified quickly.
The signs and symptoms of the condition are severe headache, pain behind the eyes, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and rash.
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