Dengue 2018

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

After reporting a slight decrease in dengue fever cases in 2017, it looks like in 2018, more than 200,000 cases will be reported once again.

From 1 January to 8 December 2018, a total of 199,271 dengue cases have been reported nationwide. There were 144,915 cases during the same period in 2017.

Looking back at 2015 and 2016, the Philippines saw 200,415 suspected cases of dengue, including 598 deaths (2015) and 211,108 suspected cases of dengue reported in 2016, including 1019 deaths.

31st Dengvaxia complaint

The death of a doctor who was inoculated with the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia has prompted the filing of the 31st complaint of its kind against former Health secretary Janette Garin and 38 others.

Norma Gotoc, mother of Quezon City health department physician Kendrick Gotoc, alleged before the Department of Justice that her 39-year-old son’s health declined after being vaccinated with Dengvaxia thrice.

Kendrick, who was allegedly required to be vaccinated, died on April 22, 2018.

Norma’s complaint accuses Garin, other officials of the Department of Health and of Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur and its local distributor Zuellig Pharma of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and violation of the anti-torture law and of the Consumer Act.

It also claims that incumbent Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is liable for obstruction of justice for allegedly suppressing the records and bodies of the supposed victims of the vaccine.