The Department of Health reported a 40 percent increase in dengue cases compared to last year, and the high count went ahead of the usual rainy season in the Philippines. Nine local government units have reported a concerning rise in the number of dengue cases, with Quezon City already declaring an outbreak.
With the spike in numbers, there is also a lot of misinformation associated with the mosquito-borne viral disease. Real Talk Breaking News of Barangay Bell-Kenz, a health advocacy online series on Bell-Kenz Facebook page, puts to the fore the significance of right information amid the concerning rise of dengue cases in the Philippines.
Real Talk Breaking News guest medical expert Dr. Jay Ron Padua, a Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist, shares that debunking some myths surrounding dengue is important to drive public awareness in seeking timely medical treatment.
Dr. Padua shared that while most patients with dengue have no symptoms (asymptomatic) or present with mild symptoms, dengue can be severe and life-threatening in some patients especially if not detected early and managed adequately.
There are also different variants of dengue. The virus has 4 distinct serotypes. Infection with 1 serotype will render lifelong immunity to that particular serotype and transient cross-protection against the other serotypes for a few months. Hence, getting the disease from the other 3 dengue serotypes is still possible.
Thankfully, Dengue isn’t contagious, so it cannot be spread from person to person. It is only transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected female mosquito.
There is also a common misconception that mosquitos lay their eggs only on dirty water. However, the Aedes mosquitoes – the primary vectors of the dengue virus, breed by laying their eggs on stagnant water, regardless if it’s clean or dirty.
Because of this, while there is an uptick of cases in the Philippines during the rainy months, the dengue virus is capable of infecting people all year round, thus the risk of infection remains constant. As long as the condition is favorable for the mosquitoes to survive, dengue outbreaks can occur at any season/time of the year.
The DOH calls for the 5S approach to prevent dengue. First is to search and destroy mosquito breeding sites. Second is to seek early consultation at the nearest health care facility. Third is the use of self-protection measures like applying of insect repellents, wearing long protective clothing, and the use of mosquito nets. Families should also support fogging and misting in the community during outbreaks and finally, sustain hydration to ensure healthiness.
