Pangasinan health officials are reporting a significant increase in dengue fever cases during the first five-plus months of 2018. From January 1 to June 11 this year, the Pangasinan Provincial Health Office (PHO) has recorded 1,398 dengue cases in the province.
This compares with 592 cases during the same period last year or a 136 percent increase.
Cities hit hardest by the mosquito borne viral disease include Urdaneta City (151 cases), Dagupan (98), Bayambang (85 cases), Binmaley (78 cases) and Alaminos City (76 cases).
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Anna Teresa De Guzman said their has been six dengue-related fatalities to date, compared to four this time last year.
Dengue fever is an infectious disease carried by mosquitoes and caused by any of four related dengue viruses. This disease used to be called “break-bone fever” because it sometimes causes severe joint and muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking.
People get the dengue virus from the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. It is not contagious from person to person.
There are three types of dengue fever in order of less severe to most: the typical uncomplicated dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHS) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS).
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