BALER, Aurora — Dengue cases in Aurora surged 137 percent from the same period last year, reaching 2,172 cases from 4 January to 12 September 2026, with seven deaths recorded, according to the Provincial Health Office.

Children ages 1 to 10 accounted for nearly half of all infections, with 917 cases, or 42 percent of the provincial total.

During the latest surveillance week, from 6 to 12 September, the PHO recorded 106 new cases.

Patients ranged in age from 1 month to 104 years, with a median age of 12. Males accounted for half of all reported cases.

Maria Aurora recorded the highest cumulative number of infections with 463 cases, followed by Dilasag with 413 and Dingalan with 394.

Among newly reported cases, San Luis recorded the most with 32, followed by Maria Aurora with 26 and Dilasag with 21.

Baler logged 11 new infections for a total of 242 cases, while Casiguran recorded eight new cases for a total of 253. Dipaculao and Dinalungan each reported one new case, bringing their totals to 69 and 37, respectively.

Dilasag posted the province’s highest attack rate at 23.2 cases per 1,000 population, indicating a more intense concentration of infections compared with other municipalities.

The PHO also reported clustering of dengue cases in 61 barangays across Aurora, showing that transmission was not confined to a single municipality.

Nationwide, the Department of Health recorded 155,918 dengue cases, down 33 percent from the same period last year.

Central Luzon, which includes Aurora, had the highest number of cases among the country’s regions with 21,242, followed by Calabarzon and Metro Manila.

Health authorities have warned that rainy conditions and flooding create additional breeding grounds for mosquitoes that transmit dengue.

Dengue can become life-threatening if severe symptoms are not recognized and treated promptly. Symptoms may include fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, vomiting and rashes.

Provincial health officials urged households to eliminate mosquito breeding sites, use protective measures such as mosquito nets and repellents, seek immediate medical consultation when symptoms develop and support targeted fogging in outbreak areas.

“Dengue prevention is everyone’s responsibility. Act now, clean your surroundings, and help us stop this outbreak,” the PHO said.

Authorities stressed that early detection and prompt medical attention remain critical in preventing severe dengue as rains continue across the province.