Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 17) — Health experts are asking the public to take preventive measures to avoid an increase in dengue cases this rainy season.
”Narito pa rin ang dengue. Tayo ay dapat maghanda sapagkat ayaw natin mangyari sa susunod na linggo ay may problema na tayo sa COVID tapos madadagdagan pa ng dengue,” Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag said in a forum on Thursday.
[Translation: Dengue is still here. We must be prepared because we don’t want a situation where we already have a problem with COVID then dengue will make matters worse.]
Dr. Tayag added dengue cases might increase once more areas are placed under a relaxed quarantine restriction.
“Sa panahon ngayon ng tag-ulan, maaring tumaas ang dengue lalo na if…ang mga restrictions natin ay unti-unting matatanggal ‘yan. Magkakaroon tayo ng mobility at ‘yan ay magiging dahilan kung bakit tataas ang kaso ng dengue kaya ngayon pa lang naghahanda na tayo,” he said.
[Translation: During this rainy season, dengue may increase especially if… our restrictions will be gradually lifted. We will have mobility and that will be the reason why dengue cases will increase so we have to start preparing now.]
The Department of Health reported 21,478 dengue cases from January 1 to April 17, 2021 — 56% lower than the 49,135 cases recorded during the same time last year.
The Health Department says the movement restrictions helped in preventing more dengue cases in the past months. DOH-Health Promotion Bureau director Dr. Beverly Ho said many people are staying home, giving them more time to clean the surroundings and get rid of mosquito breeding places.
Meanwhile, Dr. Aileen Espiritu of the DOH Disease protection and management bureau, also said that there may be fewer cases because there was less rainfall in the previous months.
Experts: Deaths due to dengue is preventable
Despite the decline in cases, 80 people still died from dengue fever this year.
Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines president Dr. Mary Ann Bunyi said this could have been prevented if patients were treated early on. She said many people are afraid to visit the hospital due to fear of catching the coronavirus.
“Most Asian countries nagreport na bumaba talaga ang kaso ng dengue. Ngayon isa sa mga paliwanag na sinasabi sa datos, kasi may mobility restrictions dahil sa pandemya—ibig sabihin limited ang movement ng mga tao. Pwedeng under reporting, kasi ang mga tao takot lumabas, takot pumunta sa ospital kasi ang pakiramdam nila baka mahawa sa Covid. So sa halip punta sa healthcare facility, di na sila pupunta,” Dr. Bunyi said.
[Translation: Most Asian countries report that dengue cases have actually dropped. Now one of the explanations given in the data, because there are mobility restrictions due to the pandemic—meaning the limited movement of people. It can be under-reporting, because people are afraid to go out, afraid to go to the hospital because they feel they might be infected with Covid. So instead of going to the healthcare facility, they decide not to go.]
The DOH encourages the public to avail of telecommunication services if they are not able to visit the hospital.
Dr. Espiritu said e-health facilities accept consultation via telephone or social media, adding there should be no delay in treatment because it would be difficult to treat partients with severe dengue.
