The Department of Health (DOH) said the recent spike in dengue cases in the country is “already alarming” as more patients, mostly children, are getting hospitalized.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH has downloaded funds to regional offices to support hospitals and local governments battling dengue outbreaks.
At the Laging Handa public briefing, Vergeire said from January to June of this year, the DOH recorded a total of 51,622 dengue cases all over the country. This is higher compared to the 32,619 cases reported in the same period last year.
“First, the increase is already alarming. We need to be cautious and closely monitor the increase. It is alarming because our youth is already affected and there are already hospital admissions,” Vergeire said.
She said the regions with the most cases are Regions III, VII, and IX.
The DOH earlier advised the public to follow the 4S strategy, which is to search and destroy breeding places, secure self-protection, seek early consultation, and support fogging or spraying in hotspot areas, to combat dengue.
Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) president Dr. Jose de Grano also acknowledged the rising dengue cases in the country, which he attributed to the rainy season and the shift of the people’s focus to combating COVID-19 and other diseases.
De Grano also called on the local government units to work on cleaning places where mosquitoes usually breed.
Despite the rising COVID-19 and dengue cases in the country, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not yet named a new DOH leader to replace former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.