THE Quezon City Government, through the City Health Department (QCHD), has declared a dengue outbreak as cases continue to surge in the city.
Mayor Joy Belmonte has mobilized all assets and resources and ensured that programs and services are established and accessible for QCitizens to curb the outbreak.
“Our declaration of a dengue outbreak ensures that we are on top of the situation, and we are doing everything we can to protect our residents from this deadly disease, especially our children,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
From January 1 to February 14, 2025, the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division of QCHD recorded 1,769 dengue cases, nearly 200 percent higher than last year.
Fifty-eight percent of the reported cases involve school-aged children (5 to 17 years old), while 44 percent are children ages 1 to 10.
Ten QCitizens, including eight minors, have succumbed to the disease.
As a primary solution to address the late diagnosis of dengue, all 66 QC health centers will be open during the weekends, Saturday and Sunday (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), to accommodate all possible dengue patients.
A fever express lane in all the city’s health centers and hospitals is also established to swiftly attend to citizens with a fever, which is among the symptoms of dengue. Free dengue test kits are available in health centers and hospitals.
Barangay spraying teams, with the guidance of sanitary inspectors, are conducting spraying and fogging operations in areas with clustering of dengue cases to kill adult mosquitoes, and larviciding is also done in water bodies.
Residents are asked to protect themselves from dengue by using mosquito repellant, if possible, and wearing personal protective clothing like long sleeves and long pants, especially for the kids.
Used containers, tires, pots, and other items that collect water should be emptied. Standing water stuck in these items can serve as a breeding ground for dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
Residents should also ensure that there is no stagnant water in their houses or drainage systems.
Pre-clinic lectures, dengue awareness assemblies, and forums are being conducted in barangays to raise QCitizens’ awareness and knowledge about dengue and how it can be prevented.
Barangay officials and school administrators are also being briefed regarding the dengue outbreak to ensure their full cooperation.
