The number of cases of dengue fever dropped 73 percent in Eastern Visayas, the regional office of the Department of Health reported.
As of end-November 2015, the regional epidemiology and surveillance unit recorded 1,407 cases of dengue with six deaths. This is significantly lower than the 5,139 cases with 21 deaths recorded last year.
The six deaths between Jan. 1 to Nov. 28 were recorded in Tacloban City, Laoang in Nothern Samar, Dolores in Eastern Samar, Palo in Leyte, and Catarman in Northern Samar.
“This cycle is expected because in 2013 and 2014, dengue cases in the region were very high. Usually, it goes down every after two to three years,” said DOH-RESU chief Roderick Boyd Cerro.
Most of the cases were from Leyte province, comprising 39 percent of all those inflicted by the mosquito-borne disease. Ages of victims ranged from two months to 82 years old.
The Health Department is closely monitoring possible dengue outbreak in urban areas where poor waste disposal contributes to high mosquito population.
“After super typhoon Yolanda, we organized dengue brigades to assist us in monitoring and information campaign,” he said in a press conference.
The World Health Organization said that dengue is spread through the bite of the female mosquito (Aedes aegypti). The mosquito becomes infected when it takes the blood of a person infected with the virus.
After about one week, the mosquito can then transmit the virus while biting a healthy person. The mosquito can fly up to 400 meters looking for water-filled containers to lay their eggs, but usually remains close to the human habitation, according to the WHO.
Dengue-infected persons suffer a high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting and swollen glands or rash.