Dengue cases down by 61.2%

MANILA, Philippines - This year’s number of dengue cases has gone down by 61.2 percent compared to last year.

Department of Health (DOH) spokesman Lyndon Lee Suy said this should not lead to public complacency.

“In dengue, there is no room for complacency,” he said.

“Even during dry season, we can have outbreaks. How much more during rainy days.” 

The National Epidemiology Center said 49,591 dengue cases were recorded from Jan. 1 to Aug. 16, with 205 deaths.

During the same period in 2013, the cases reached 127,861, including 449 deaths, the report added. 

Most of the cases were reported in Northern Mindanao (10.13 percent); Davao region (9.35 percent); Caraga (9.81 percent); Soccskargen (8.82 percent), and Eastern Visayas (8 percent).

The ages of patients ranged from one month to 96 years old, but a majority belonged to the 5-14 age group.

Lee Suy urged local governments and the community to continue their anti-dengue campaign to sustain the downward trend.  

The best way to fight dengue remains the elimination of all possible breeding sites of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, he added.

These mosquitoes thrive in clean but stagnant water, Lee Suy said.

Data show that in Metro Manila, the city of Manila had the highest number cases at 522; followed by Quezon City, 473; Las Piñas, 195; Caloocan, 188; Parañaque, 175; Pasig, 172; Taguig, 158 and Valenzuela, 104.