Over 70,000 dengue cases recorded nationwide since January — DOH

MANILA, Philippines — The incidence of dengue nationwide almost doubled and may further go up with the onset of the rainy season, the Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday.

The latest DOH Dengue Surveillance Report also indicated that prevalence of the mosquito-borne infection has exceeded the epidemic threshold in the Bicol region and Zamboanga peninsula.

From May 5 to May 11, the DOH recorded a total of 1,121 dengue cases. The figure brought to 74,273  the cumulative total of the potentially deadly illness since January.

The recorded dengue cases for the past months was way higher compared with the 39,449  total cases posted during the same period last year.

Fatalities among dengue patients also went up from 214 in 2018 to 312 this year.

The DOH said dengue prevalence in Western Visayas and Northern Mindanao has exceeded the alert threshold for the past months.

Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) accounted for the biggest number of dengue cases, with a total of 8,150, including 33 deaths, followed by Western Visayas with 7,718, including 44 deaths.

Western Visayas was also among the regions with a high number of dengue cases at 6,671, including 40 deaths. National Capital Region had 6,116 cases, including 21 deaths.

More than half or 39,317 of the cases were males, while 24 percent or 18,027 of the cases belong to the five to nine years age group.

The DOH has been urging the public to take the necessary precautions against dengue, which is expected to rise further at the onset of the rainy season.

Health authorities advised the people to get rid of mosquito-breeding sites, such as clogged rain gutters, sewers and discarded tires.