The country’s dengue cases have nearly doubled to 73,909 infections so far this year, the Department of Health said Thursday.
This is 96 percent higher than some 37,000 cases reported during the same period last year, according to Health Undersecretary Beverly Ho.
Most of the cases were from Central Luzon, Central Visayas, and Metro Manila, she said.
Eleven of 17 regions exceeded the epidemic threshold in the past four weeks or from June 12 to July 19, Ho said. The figure is down from 13 regions during the period of June 5 to July 2.
A total of 299 dengue-related deaths have so far been reported this year, according to Ho.
The DOH is looking into procuring dengue vaccines as cases rise, its officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said.
The health agency has previously said it has downloaded funds to public hospitals and has instructed them to provide dengue fast lanes.
The agency has several times reminded the public to follow the ‘4S Strategy’: search and destroy mosquito breeding sites, secure self-protection, seek early consultation, and support community fogging or spraying in high-case areas.
Meantime, about 72 percent of hospital beds nationwide are being used for non-COVID cases, Ho said.