The Department of Health (DoH) on Monday said it is likely to declare a dengue outbreak in the country amid the spike in cases.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said that based on his conversation with the Epidemiology Bureau director, dengue cases in the country have already reached outbreak levels.

Based on the latest DoH data, there are currently 136,161 dengue cases from 1 January to 3 August, which is 33 percent higher than the 102,374 cases recorded in the same period last year.

However, fewer deaths due to dengue have been logged so far this year at 364, compared to 401 last year.

Several areas in the country have declared their own dengue outbreaks, such as Iloilo province, Capiz, and Ormoc City, after logging a significant rise in cases.