THE number of dengue cases in the country reached more than 336,000 in the first nine months of the year, according to the Department of Health.
The 336,114 cases reported from January 1 to September 28 is more than double the 157,168 cases recorded in the same period last year.
The number of deaths also went up from 806 last year to 1,302 this year.
The DOH declared a national dengue epidemic in August due to the rise in the number of cases. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has said the DOH is expecting about 240,000 cases to be recorded for 2019 considering the usual spike every three years.
In the latest Dengue Surveillance Report, Calabarzon was found to have the most number of cases with 55,388 followed by Western Visayas (51,522), the National Capital Region (26,816), and Central Luzon with 26,007.
Deaths from dengue were also highest in the Western Visayas region, at 215 followed by Calabarzon (158), the National Capital Region (139), and Central Visayas with 111.
Several regions have exceeded the epidemic threshold — Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, National Capital Region, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The Ilocos Region, Davao Region, and Soccsksargen have exceeded the alert threshold.
Most affected by dengue are children aged five to nine years, with 75,993 (23 percent).
Males were found to be majority of the victims with 176,569 (53 percent).
