As the rainy season persists, the Department of Health (DOH) continues to log more dengue cases nationwide. As of 27 July, the DOH has recorded a total of 128,834 dengue cases across the country.

This is a 33 percent increase compared to the 97,211 cases reported during the same period last year.

However, the DOH has noted that fewer dengue deaths have been recorded this year (337) compared to last year (378) for the same time period.

The Health Department says that it sees the lower number of deaths this year, despite the higher number of cases, as an indication that people are seeking early consultation, and that hospitals are managing cases more effectively.

Dengue cases are still on an uptrend, the DOH noted, showing an increase from 12,153 cases recorded from 16 to 29 June to 18,349 cases recorded from 30 June to 13 July.

Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Cagayan Valley, and Calabarzon regions have shown a continuous rise in dengue numbers over the past six weeks leading up to 27 July.

“We know that more stagnant water means more mosquitoes and more dengue. So let us keep searching for and destroying containers that allow mosquitoes to multiply,” DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa said.

“The good news is seeking early consultation and treating patients properly leads to fewer deaths even with more cases—look at our numbers,” Herbosa continued.

The Health chief also urged the public to use self-protection measures such as wearing clothing that cover the skin, using mosquito nets, and applying repellants to help slow the rise in cases.

“Let us also support fogging or spraying in areas identified as local hotspots or outbreak zones,” he added.