Daily Tribune
An infectious disease specialist on Monday expressed alarm over the rising dengue cases in the Philippines.
In a televised interview, Dr. Rontgene Solante said the Philippines logged 195,000 cases of dengue from January 2023 to January 2024, the highest in Southeast Asia.
The country also registered the highest number of deaths at 657 over a span of one year.
"This 195,000 may be a bit lower to 2022. Because in 2022, we broke the threshold of 200,000. Our cases were 200,000," Solante said.
"Maybe at these first few months we're able to have a lower number of cases of dengue," he added.
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier reported that dengue cases in the country were on a downward trend.
Citing its latest data, the DOH noted an 11 percent decrease in dengue cases nationwide.
Solante, however, warned of a possible rise of dengue cases during the El Niño phenomenon.
"Mas tumataas ang lamok population at tumataas din ang risk ng mga hawaan sa dengue during El Niño (The mosquito population increases and the risk of dengue infections also increases during "Mas tumataas ang lamok population at tumataas din ang risk ng mga hawaan sa dengue during El Niño)," he noted.
Solante said the government should also have to consider anew the possibility of putting in vaccines as part of controlling dengue in the country.
Last June, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said he was not keen on bringing back the controversial dengue vaccine Dengvaxia in the country.
The Dengvaxia controversy arose in November 2017 after manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur announced that the vaccine may lead to "severe" symptoms for those who have never been infected by dengue before vaccination.
As a result, the Food and Drug Administration ordered the suspension of the sale, distribution, and marketing of the Dengvaxia vaccine and the withdrawal of the product from the market.
The DOH, meanwhile, continues to encourage the public to strengthen the implementation of the 5S strategy against dengue: Search and destroy mosquito breeding sites; use Self-protection measures; Seek early consultation; Say yes to fogging where needed; and Start and sustain hydration.
