Dengue cases down – DoH

THE Department of Health ( DoH) Epidemiology Bureau recorded 10,980 new dengue cases from January 1 to February 10 with most of the victims around10 to 14 years old.

According to the report, the number of cases was 41.38 percent lower than the 18,731 cases reported for the same period last year.

Most of the cases came from Calabarzon with 22.80 percent; Central Luzon, 17.89 percent; Metro Manila, 16.58 percent; Ilocos Region, 7.25 percent; and Central Visayas, 5.52 percent.

Places with the most cases were Metro Manila with 16.58 percent; Cavite, 10 percent; Pampanga, 6.6 percent; Pangasinan , 5.88 percent; and Laguna, 4.66 percent.

Those afflicted with dengue ranged in age from less than one month old to 99 years old with the median age of 13. Slightly more than half of the cases were men and most of them belong to the 10 to 14 years old age group.

There were 51 deaths reported with most of the fatalities coming from the 0- 4 years old age group.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd said that while there was a lower number of dengue cases this year, the areas with high incidence of cases were still the same as last year.

“It’s variable. We really cannot say. In fact, there are more cases recorded in areas were people were vaccinated. Those are Regions 3, 4-A, NCR and 7. Those with a high number of cases in the past still have a high incidence of dengue now,” Duque said.

He said the high number of cases in the affected areas may be attributed to the sheer number of the population there.

“You know, numbers is a tricky business. 837,000 is a huge number by itself. But viewed in the context of the total population of NCR, Region 3, 4- A, Cebu that’s probably, 40 to 50 million,” he said.

Dengue is an acute viral infection transmitted through the Aedes aegypti mosquito and may result in death if left untreated.