The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday reported a 23 percent increase in dengue cases nationwide this year.
At the same time, the DOH reported that it recorded 43 cases of chinkungunya, a virus
transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes, from January 1 to May 21.
The DOH said a total of 34,938 dengue cases were reported from January 1 to May 21, indicating a 23-percent rise from 28,336 cases registered during the same period last year.
The DOH said most cases were reported from Region VII (4,544 cases), Region III (4,312 cases) and Region IX (3,215 cases).
From April 24 to May 21, a total of 10,738 cases were reported, with the same regions accounting for the highest number of cases.
The following regions also reported increasing cases from April 24 to May 21:
• Regions II
• Region III
• Region IV-B (Mimaropa)
• Region V
• Region VI
• Region VII
• Region IX
• Region XI
• Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
• Cordillera Administrative Region
The DOH also reported 180 dengue-related deaths nationwide, with 23 percent of deaths chalked up in April.
Deaths reported per month were as follows:
• January: 39 deaths
• February: 35 deaths
• March: 33 deaths
• April: 42 deaths
• May: 31 deaths
Early signs of dengue include fever, headache or pain behind the eyes, and body malaise, the DOH said.
Dengue cases in Region 2 increased by more than 800 percent, a DOH official had said.
The DOH said the number of chinkungunya cases this year was 169 percent higher compared to the record in the same period last year.
Data from the DOH show that 29 cases or 67 percent were from Central Visayas while eight cases or 19 percent were from the Davao Region.
The DOH-11 earlier said it detected 17 suspected cases of the virus.
Meanwhile, the DOH said 13 cases were recorded from April 24 to May 21.
Of this, 10 cases or 77 percent were from Central Visayas, one case was from the Davao Region, another was from Calabarzon, and the remaining was from the National Capital Region.
“The region with the most number of cases cumulatively and recently was Region VII… However, from May 1-21, 2022, there were only two (2) cases reported in the said region,” the DOH said.
According to the DOH, no deaths were recorded among the present cases.
The World Health Organization had said that a chikungunya virus infection may result in fever, severe joint pain, muscle pain, joint swelling, headache, nausea, fatigue, and rash.
