The Department of Health reported that the Philippines logged 173,233 dengue cases since the start of the year, which is 191 percent higher from the number of cases recorded in 2021.
Dr. Alethea De Guzman, director of DOH’s epidemiology bureau, said dengue cases in the country started increasing in the third week of March
De Guzman said the peak was in the second week of July, and the epidemic curve shows a decreasing number of cases.
From January 1 to October 1 last year, the Philippines had 59,514 dengue cases, the DOH said.
Central Luzon (34,347), Metro Manila (18,638), and Calabarzon (14,984) led with the most number of dengue cases among regions, the agency said.
DOH data show that 54 percent infected with dengue were aged below 15 and as of Oct. 1, some 528 dengue-related deaths or a 0.3 percent case fatality rate have been reported.
The DOH flagged Central Luzon, BARMM, and CAR for exceeding the epidemic threshold in the past 4 weeks.
De Guzman said dengue cases have also declined in all areas with declared outbreak, except Southern Leyte. These are Zamboanga City, Antique and Zamboanga Sibugay.
The dengue virus is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito, according to the World Health Organization.
While majority of dengue cases are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms, it can manifest as a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children, and adults, but seldom causes death, the WHO said.
Symptoms usually last for 2–7 days, after an incubation period of 4–10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito, it added.