The Department of Health (DoH) recorded a 71 percent drop in dengue cases in January 2026, with more than 7,400 cases logged during the period, according to official data.

It said Saturday that 7,471 dengue cases were recorded from 4 to 24 January 2026, significantly lower than the 25,652 cases reported during the same period in 2025.

“During the same period last year, we logged 25,652 dengue cases in the country,” Health Promotions Bureau Director Tina Marasigan said.

She said the uptick led to the launch of the Alas Kwatro Kontra Mosquito program, removing stagnant water through regular cleaning.

The health department reminded the public to regularly clean their homes, particularly flower pots, stagnant water containers, and canals that may serve as breeding grounds for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, even before the start of the rainy season.

“It’s not just during the typhoon season. Dengue is present all year round. It just so happens that cases rise during the rainy season,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a radio program.

“Those most affected are the youth, because if you haven’t had dengue before, you can be infected by a mosquito carrying the virus,” he added.

In some cases, patients may need to be admitted to the ICU because of complications, he warned, as platelet counts may decrease, and bleeding may occur due to dengue hemorrhagic fever.