By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews
Officials in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines are calling the dengue fever situation in the region and the country “alarming” as the case count continues to rise.
Since the beginning of the year through July 20, 23,330 dengue cases have been reported in the Western Visayas, the highest in the country.
Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino said, “Considering that more and more provinces and local government units are declaring an outbreak or a state of calamity, there is a need for every one of us to do our part in preventing the spread of dengue.”
Dino has instructed Assistant Secretary Jonji Gonzales to meet with the officials in Central Visayas, Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas to proactively insist on a convergence of different national government agencies ((NGAs) to see to it that a continuous massive clean-up drive is done, as prescribed by DOH.
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The DOH and the Department of the Interior and Local Government are taking the lead in the clean-up drives in the barangay level.
Dino said that the while the NGAs are doing their part in eliminating possible breeding grounds of mosquitos, the public must be vigilant and also do their share to stop the virus from spreading further.
Philippines dengue epidemic rises, increased cases can be expected through October
On Aug. 6, the Department of Health (DOH) declared a National Dengue Epidemic.
Nationally, the Philippines has seen 167,607 dengue cases, including 720 deaths, reported from 1 January to 27 July 2019: 97% higher than in 2018, in spite of a delayed rainy season. The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 0.43% as of 27 July 2019 is significantly higher than the regional average of 0.22% in the Western Pacific.
The most affected age group among dengue cases is 5-9 years (23%). Similarly, the most affected age group among dengue deaths is 5-9 years (42%).
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