DOH: Dengue cases now 118% higher year-on-year with 92K cases

The Philippines recorded 92,343 dengue cases from January 1 to July 23, 2022, a 118% higher total compared to the cases recorded during the same period last year, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

According to DOH’s National Dengue Data for the week, there were 42,294 dengue cases recorded from January 1 to July 23, 2021.

Cumulatively, DOH said, most of the dengue cases this year or 17% were reported in Central Luzon with 15,951 cases.

It is followed by Central Visayas with 9,429 (10%) and the National Capital Region (NCR) with 7,962 (9%).

From June 26 to July 23 alone, the country recorded 21,566 dengue cases.

Of this number, 24% or 5,186 cases were logged in Central Luzon. This was followed by NCR with 2,374 (11%) and Calabarzon with 2,178 (10%).

DOH also said that nine out of 17 regions exceeded the epidemic threshold in the past four weeks, with Mimaropa and NCR showing a “sustained increasing trend from June 26 to July 23, 2022.”

At least 344 people have also died in the country this year due to dengue, posing a 0.4% case fatality rate.

Of these deaths, 36 occurred in January, 31 in February, 39 in March, 46 in April, 63 in May, 73 in June, and 56 in July.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said the increase of dengue cases in the country is already alarming as some individuals are now being admitted to hospital. — BM, GMA News