Slapping dengue down

Increasing Covid-19 restrictions in China as coronavirus cases plummet across the globe have fueled anger in the country where the pandemic started in 2019. Heartbreaking deaths like that of a three-year-old Chinese boy who succumbed to gas poisoning inside a locked-down compound have made the rounds of social media.

Beijing’s zero-Covid policy is now being pilloried by many Chinese as a mere cover for repressive measures that have absolutely nothing to do with containing the virus first reported in Wuhan, but to keep in check dissent against the government. Maybe so.

In the Philippines, health authorities have not slackened in asking people to keep their guard up against Covid and its many emerging variants amid the government easing health restrictions to spur economic rebound.

But the Department of Health this week warned of another health concern that has largely taken the backseat to Covid but must now take centerstage lest more Filipinos become part of statistics pertaining to preventable dengue cases and deaths.

According to the DoH, a total of 196,728 dengue cases were reported in the country from the start of the year to 5 November 2022, up 191 percent over the 67,537 reported for the same period in 2021.

While dengue’s case fatality rate remained at 0.3 percent, it should be of little consolation since deaths related to the ailment made a big jump to 642 for the same 1 January-5 November 2022 period compared to the 247, again for the same period last year.

With 98 dying from dengue, Central Visayas secured the ignominious distinction of topping the regions with the most fatalities from the virus transmitted through mosquito bites. CV is followed by Central Luzon and Western Visayas with 83 deaths apiece and Metro Manila with 50. Central Luzon accounted for 38,649 dengue cases in the country this year.

A 17 November 2022 World Health Organization Update on the Dengue Situation in the Western Pacific Region, tracked the DoH data, although WHO’s was slightly lower as it accounted only until week 43 of the year corresponding to the last days of October.

“During epidemiological week 43 of 2022, a total of 413 dengue cases and two deaths were reported. The number of cases is 73 percent lower compared to the same period in 2021 (n=1,558),” the WHO said of the Philippines.

“However, reported cases in week 43 of 2022 may change since cases are still being validated and confirmed. From 1 January to 29 October 2022, there have been 193,010 dengue cases and 629 deaths (CFR 0.3 percent), which is 194 percent higher compared to the 65,684 cases reported in the same period in 2021.”

The same WHO report noted that in Singapore, a total of 29,894 dengue cases for the year to date (covering 44 weeks) were recorded. While the 29,894 dengue cases in Singapore are way lower than the Philippines’ 196,728, Singapore also registered an increase of 523 percent compared to its 4,799 cases for the period in 2021.

For China, WHO said “there have been a total of nine dengue cases and no deaths in the country from January 2022 to August 2022,” with “no further updates since the previous report.” It said the “trend for 2022 remains low,” but data accuracy, possibly from non-reporting, may be contested as China has always been a secretive country especially when it comes to health matters.

Rising cases of dengue in the Philippines may partly be blamed on it becoming a year-round disease, an “acute viral infection that affects mostly young children and infants,” the DoH said as it called on the public to practice the 4-S against dengue.

According to the department, dengue is transmitted through a bite of dengue-infected Aedes aegypti and

Aedes albopictus mosquitoes that lay eggs in any space or container that holds stagnant water. Said mosquitoes

“usually bite between two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset and can be found inside and outside the house.”

“The Enhanced 4-S campaign stands for Search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites, secure Self-protection measures like wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts and daily use of mosquito repellent, Seek early consultation, and Support fogging or spraying only in hotspot areas where an increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an impending outbreak,” the DoH explained.

In bringing down dengue cases and consequently deaths associated with the virus, all Filipinos are enjoined to become responsible for controlling the population of mosquitoes, seek early consultation, and recognize the symptoms associated with dengue like fever and rashes.

Together, we can slap mosquitoes dead or, better yet, slap dengue down by destroying the breeding grounds of mosquitoes.

“While dengue’s case fatality rate remained at 0.3 percent, it should be of little consolation since deaths related to the ailment made a big jump to 642.

“Together, we can slap mosquitoes dead or, better yet, slap dengue down by destroying the breeding grounds of mosquitoes.