TACLOBAN CITY — The Tacloban City Health Office has placed the city’s public health system under Code Blue amid a continued rise in dengue cases and clustering of infections in several barangays.

City health data showed 272 dengue cases as of morbidity week 32, or 9 August, up 31 percent from the same period in 2025.

Tacloban City Health Officer Dr. Jaime Opinion Jr. said clusters of cases were reported in nine barangays, prompting the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to conduct fogging and targeted misting operations to eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

The Department of Health classifies Code Blue as a heightened disaster and emergency alert level requiring 50 percent of hospital personnel to report for duty or active deployment. Medical teams may also be sent to evacuation centers or temporary health posts.

The alert is typically activated during major emergencies and calamities to mobilize health facilities and personnel for a coordinated response.

On Monday, the CDRRMO conducted fogging at Scandinavian Elementary School at the request of school administrators to protect learners from dengue.

Meanwhile, data from the DOH Eastern Visayas Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit showed 1,794 dengue cases, including five deaths, from 26 July to 1 August.

Leyte recorded the highest number with 652 cases, followed by Tacloban City with 328 and Samar with 256.