River warrior A man balances on a makeshift raft to remove trash from the Estero de San Lazaro in Manila on Friday. He collects at least 20 sacks of garbage daily in this section of the creek, contributing to cleaner waterways amid the decline in dengue cases across the country.
Photograph by toto lozano for the daily tribune
The Department of Health (DoH) announced on Friday that dengue cases have declined from 26 January to 8 February.
The cases recorded during this period were 7 percent lower (14,460) compared to the 15,550 dengue cases reported from 15 to 25 January.
Despite this, the recorded cases are still 64 percent higher this year compared to 2024.
The total number has reached 52,008 from 1 January to 22 February.
Calabarzon (10,759 cases), Metro Manila (9,302 cases) and Central Luzon (8,652 cases) are the regions with the highest cases.
The number of recorded deaths from the mosquito-borne illness is estimated at 0.36 percent this year — down from 0.43 percent last year.
The DoH attributed the decrease in the number of dengue deaths to early examination and quick response to the patient's needs, preventing the case from getting worse.
Children aged 14 and below account for 56 percent of the total number of dengue cases, the DoH noted.
The DoH encouraged the public to continue wearing long-sleeved clothes and pants, using insect repellants, sleeping inside a mosquito net and avoiding areas with mosquitoes.
DoH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa also called on local government units to implement "Taob (turn upside down), Taktak (shake out the content), Tuyo (dry up), Takip (Cover)" which is part of the "Alas Kwatro Kontra Mosquito" campaign which aims to clean channels or water reservoirs where mosquitoes can breed.
"Let's not be complacent about the danger of dengue carried by the Aedes mosquito. Most of the recorded dengue cases have shown symptoms such as high fever, rash, body aches, vomiting, and pain behind the eyes," Herbosa said.
"That's why I invite those experiencing these symptoms to consult with medical professionals immediately. To ensure adequate medical attention to dengue patients, dengue fast lanes are also open in DoH hospitals,” he added.
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