HALFWAY into year 2022, at least 65,000 dengue cases have been reported nationwide.
This, according to the Department of Health (DOH), “is 83% higher compared to the reported cases during the same period in 2021, which is 35,715.”
From January 1 to July 2 this year, there were 65,190 dengue cases reported based on the National Dengue Data.
Most of the dengue cases were from Central Luzon (9,448 or 14%), Central Visayas (7,771 or 12%), and Zamboanga Peninsula (5,708 or 9%).
Nationally, the DOH said there were 274 deaths reported this year due to dengue, or a case fatality rate of 0.4 percent.
The DOH also said that from June 5 to July 2, 16,324 cases were recorded.
The regions with the highest number of cases during the past four weeks are Central Luzon with 3,196 (20%), National Capital Region with 1,729 (11%), and Central Visayas with 1,703 (10%).
Also, during the past four weeks, nine regions showed sustained increasing trends in dengue cases. These are in Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao, Soccsksargen, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and Cordillera Administrative Region.
Antique, which is in the Western Visayas region, has recorded more than 1,581 dengue cases as of July 17 with six deaths, provincial health officer Dr. Leoncio Abiera Jr said in a radio interview.
There were only 1,409 dengue in the province as of July 2.
Abiera urged residents to consult physicians if they are experiencing fever.
The Antique government placed the province under a state of calamity last Friday due to rising dengue cases. This allowed local officials to access the local government’s quick response fund to address the dengue problem.
Abiera said almost all the 18 towns of the province have been affected by the dengue problem, led by San Jose Buenavista, Sibalom and Hamtic towns.
“In terms of hospital admission, our hospitals are not that full in terms of dengue cases,” he said Abiera, adding dengue-related hospital admissions average 58 per day.
Abiera said the province has intensified its campaign against dengue.
He said health workers were asked to be active in the conduct of “surveillance.”
“Also, we are educating the people not to be afraid, have themselves consulted (by a doctor) because early detection of dengue means we can manage it early and no one will die,” said Abiera.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ma. Teresa Tan, officer-in-charge of the Occidental Mindoro provincial health office, said hospitals are seeking additional dengue test kits.
As of July 16, Occidental Mindoro (Mimaropa region) has recorded 1,126 dengue cases since January. There were only 86 dengue cases during the same period last year.
“They are requesting augmentation for the purchase of test kits, NS1 or Dengue Duo. They still have supplies but they are projecting that with the number of cases, they might run out of supplies (later),” said Tan.
Tan said procurement of additional dengue test kits may take time due to the procurement process.
The provincial health office has recommended to Gov. Eduardo Gadiano the declaration of a dengue outbreak in the province.
The provincial council’s committee on health has also recommended that Gadiano place the province under a state of calamity. — With Victor Reyes
