Philippines: National alert issued over dengue outbreak July 15

Event

Health authorities in the Philippines have issued a national dengue alert on Monday, July 15, due to an ongoing outbreak of dengue fever. At least 106,630 cases of dengue fever and 456 associated deaths have been reported from January 1 to June 29, notably in the Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Northern Mindanao regions.

Further spread of the disease is expected in the coming months.

Context

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease found mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rash. Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.

Advice

Individuals present in the Philippines are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping in a screened-in or air-conditioned room) and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds on their properties (e.g. small pockets of fresh water, such as rainwater that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).