Dengue cases doubled from January to March

MANILA, Philippines — The number of dengue cases nationwide has almost doubled during the first quarter of this year, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Data from the DOH-Disease Surveillance Report showed there were 27,670 dengue cases recorded from Jan. 1 to March 18.

Health officials said the number of cases recorded in the first 11 weeks of this year is 94 percent or almost twice higher than the 14,278 infections posted during the same period last year.

The DOH noted fewer deaths from the mosquito-borne disease at 92, or a case fatality rate (CFR) of .33 percent.

During the same period last year, the DOH recorded 100 dengue deaths or .70 percent CFR.

The National Capital Region logged the highest number of cases with 3,898 followed by Central Luzon with 3,053 and Davao region with 2,707.

Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and Northern Mindanao both recorded high numbers of cases with 2,699 and 2,380, respectively.

Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) logged the highest increase from 260 last year to 1,988 cases this year.

It was followed by Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos), where cases climbed from 445 to 1,965, and Davao region from 1,046 to 2,707 cases.

Mimaropa also posted the highest number of dengue fatalities with 13 followed by Soccsksargen, 10, and Central Visayas, nine.

Dengue cases increase during the dry season as many households store water in containers, which can become breeding sites for mosquitoes.