Officials with the Philippines Department of Health’s (DOH) Epidemiology Bureau reported today that  there are 36,664 dengue cases reported covering the period from January 1 to February 23, 2019. This is 14,703 or 67% higher compared to the same time period last year (21,961 cases).

Image/Philippines DOH
Image/Philippines DOH

This has prompted the DOH to remind the public to practice the 4-S campaign against dengue: Search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites, secure Self-protection measures like wearing long pants and long sleeved shirts and daily use of mosquito repellent, Seek early consultation, and Support fogging/spraying only in hotspot areas where increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an impending outbreak.

Dengue is now a year-round disease in the Philippines affecting mostly young children and infants.

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Dengue is transmitted through a bite of dengue-infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.  These mosquitoes can lay eggs in any space or container that holds clear and stagnant water like a bottle cap, dish dryer, plant axil, gutter, trash can, old rubber tire, etc. They usually bite between 2 hours after sunrise and 2 hours before sunset and can be found inside and outside the house.
“The first step to prevent dengue is within our homes, it is important to remove any space or container than can hold unnecessary stagnant water which may become breeding sites of mosquitoes,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III emphasized.