Dengue epidemic may last ”until September”: DOH

August 7, 2019

The Department of Health (DOH) said the high number of dengue cases are expected to last for at least two to three months.

"It is expected to be here until September... it may start to wane after October," said Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo in a television interview.

He said the threat of dengue continues in the rainy season.

"(It may wane) once the rainy season starts to go," said Domingo.

Domingo said mosquitoes grow exponentially during the rainy season.

"About two to three days is enough for the life cycle of mosquitoes. If water is there for two to three days, it is enough to generate more mosquitoes," said Domingo.

On Tuesday, the DOH declared a national dengue epidemic following  146,062 cases nationwide from January 1 to July 20.

A total of seven out of these 17 regions have exceeded their respective epidemic thresholds of dengue cases.

These are Calabarzon with 16,515; Mimaropa with 4,254; Bicol with 3,470; Western Visayas with 23,330; Eastern Visayas with 7,199; Zamboanga Peninisula with 12, 317; and Northern Mindanao with 11,455.

Domingo stressed the need for people to keep surroundings clean.

"The main strategy is to remove the vectors... There should be no water reservoir that serves as breeding grounds for mosquitoes," said Domingo.

The health department has urged local government units, schools, offices, and communities to hold "Sabayang 4-O’clock Habit para Deng-Get Out", which focuses on searching and destroying  mosquito breeding sites.

Domingo said Filipinos should not think the controversial dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia is a solution.

"Definitely, it is not for the epidemic. It (Dengvaxia) is not an epidemic response vaccine," said Domingo.

Recent spike in dengue cases has triggered appeals for the goverrnment to lift  a December 2017 ban on Dengvaxia.  DMS