Dengue in the Western Visayas

Health officials in the Western Visayas has called on the public not to be complacent due to possible emergence of dengue cases even during the dry season.

Image/www.demis.nl via wikimedia commons
Image/www.demis.nl via wikimedia commons

As of February 16, dengue cases in the region totaled to 2,762, an increase of 118 percent compared to the same period in 2018. 13 deaths have been recorded.

Most dengue patients were children aged 1 to 10 years old.

A total of 121 barangays (villages) in the region had a clustering of cases.

Dengue in Soccsksargen

Department of Health (DOH) 12 (Soccsksargen) is reporting 2,332 dengue cases across the region during the first two months of 2019. This is a 191 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Five deaths have been reported with three in the hardest hit province of North Cotabato.

Rabies cases since 2014

Data from the Department of Health shows that Central Luzon region saw the most human rabies cases during the period  Jan. 1, 2014 to June 30, 2018.

The region saw 185 cases, followed closely by  Calabarzon with 172 cases.

More than none out 10 of the cases were linked to exposure to dogs.

Makati to vaccinate 46,000 kids against measles

After reporting dozens of measles cases this year, the city of Makati is set to vaccinate 46,858 schoolchildren in an effort to stop the spread of the disease.

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Negros Occidental reports most measles in region

The Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD 6) reported last week that the province of Negros Occidental has seen the most measles year to date.

As of Friday, Negros Occidental posted 298 suspected measles cases with 31 confirmed and three deaths.

Measles epidemic in the Philippines: Nearly 1,000 additional cases reported

Sin taxes

For the past months, the Department of Health and the Department of Finance, have been actively advocating for increased taxes on tobacco products and alcoholic beverages to curb consumption and ultimately reduce the incidents of illness caused by alcohol and tobacco. With health partners from civil societies, we hope that these reforms pass into legislation before the end of the 17th Congress.

The proposal to increase the tax rate of cigarettes to at least 3 pesos per stick or 60 pesos per pack was certified urgent by President Duterte. This is the rate that will allow the Philippines to achieve its Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) Target to reduce smoking prevalence to 15% by 2022. Any rate lower than PhP 60.00 will put an unacceptable number of Filipinos at risk of dying to tobacco related diseases and will result to 200,000 new smokers for every year of delay in implementation.

“The Department of Health would like to emphasize, that Sin Taxes are first and foremost, a health measure that will discourage Filipinos to smoke and excessively consume alcohol. As global evidence suggests, taxation is the single, most cost-effective measure to safeguard the public from the harms of tobacco and alcohol use and their accompanying societal costs”, Secretary Francisco Duque III said.