2019 is ‘big dengue year,’ says DOH

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH) has warned the public to take precautionary measures to avoid contracting dengue virus following a noted increase in the viral disease across the country.

Health Undersecretary Enrique Domingo said they are now taking steps as part of their campaign to fight the spread of dengue. “We’re preparing now because we a’re expecting 2019 to be a big dengue year. The way dengue behaves is that you get one or two years of low cases and on the third year, tumataas,” he said.

He said the DOH Epidemiology Bureau reported 48,634 dengue cases in the first quarter of 2019 with 184 deaths. The figure showed significant increase from 23,328 cases with 150 deaths for the same period last year. Central Visayas has the highest number of cases this year with 5,421 followed by Metro Manila with 4,855 cases, Calabarzon with 4,851 cases, Caraga Region with 4,570 cases and Central Luzon with 4,009 cases.

Domingo said the cases are expected to rise in June which is the start of the rainy season. However, he warned the public against possible attack of dengue-carrying mosquitoes in the day during summer time. “Iyong dengue mosquito kasi (female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti) bites during the day so usually mga dawn hanggang an hour or two after sunset, so during the day syempre nakakatakot pa rin,” he said, adding, such mosquitoes also breed in stagnant waters or in clogged rain gutters, sewers and discarded tires. Those who have been injected with the anti-dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, are still susceptible to the disease, according to Domingo.

“Iyong mga nabakunahan dati, we tell them huwag na nating hintayin na grabe yung nararamdaman ng mga bata, basta may lagnat, isa, dalawang araw, may masakit ang tyan, masakit ang ulo, masakit ang mata dalhin na agad sa hospitals,” he said. He said the symptoms of dengue are the sudden onset of high fever for two to seven days, joint and muscle pains, pain behind the eyes, weakness, skin rashes, nose bleeding, abdominal pains, vomiting, dark-colored stool, and difficulty in breathing. (Maria Teresa Montemayor)