Dengue cases in the Cagayan Valley region rose by nearly 900 percent during the early part of this year from the same period in 2021, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) in Region 2 said Wednesday.
In an interview on TeleRadyo, Dr. Romulo Turingan, head of the Disease Prevention and Control Cluster of DOH Region 2, said they recorded 2,014 dengue cases in the region from January to June 4 this year.
The total is 897 percent higher compared to the 202 cases recorded in the same period last year, Turingan said.
The province of Isabela has the greatest number of dengue cases with 997, followed by Cagayan with 724, Nueva Vizcaya with 262, and Quirino with 59 cases. Batanes reported two cases.
The DOH is currently working with concerned provincial health officers in areas that have seen a spike in dengue cases.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said these include areas in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Region 6, and Zamboanga.
The DOH, however, said that total dengue cases recorded in the country since January are still lower compared to the same period last year.
“Dengue cases have not reached the levels of last year. There are pockets of outbreaks of dengue in 3 regions at the moment,” Duque said.
He said hospitals are ready to accommodate more dengue patients, and urged the public to observe the 4S strategy against dengue:
• Search and destroy mosquito breeding places
• Self-protective measures like wearing long sleeves and use of insect repellent
• Seek early consultation on the first signs and symptoms of the disease
• Say yes to fogging if there is an impending outbreak.
“Our hospitals and isolation wards are ready,” Duque said at the online Kapihan sa Manila Bay.
Turingan said increased mobility and the lifting of travel restrictions may have contributed to the spike in cases. There is also increased transmission during the rainy season.
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, people may have forgotten to destroy breeding places of mosquitoes, he added.
“We tend to forget to search and destroy breeding places because we are focused on COVID-19,” Turingan said.
Although dengue is often associated with the rainy season, Turingan said it is a year-round disease and the community should always practice the 4s to prevent the spread of dengue.
Turingan said parents should observe their children closely and immediately bring them to the hospital once they show symptoms.
“We have to be vigilant in observing the child for signs and symptoms,” he said.
Early signs of dengue include fever, headache or pain behind the eyes, and body malaise.
“Then this will progress to vomiting, abdominal pain, epistaxis, and these already constitute the warning signs,” Turingan said.
“If these symptoms appear, it’s already a warning sign that this will lead to a severe dengue infection,” he added.
Turingan said the early symptoms are similar to that of flu or COVID-19, and this is why it is important to immediately seek medical help.
It is important for the whole community to work together to prevent the spread of dengue, especially in destroying breeding places of mosquitoes, Turingan pointed out.
“The whole community should join efforts in conducting this search and destroy operations,” he said.
The DOH earlier said the number of dengue cases in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya have exceeded the epidemic threshold.