MANILA -- Dengue cases nationwide continue to decline, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Thursday.
Based on the DOH's Dengue Surveillance Reports as of Jan. 17, 2020, only one region exceeded the alert threshold and another exceeded the epidemic threshold.
The reports showed a steady decline in all regions in the past three months.
From December 22 to 31, 2019, there were only 815 dengue cases, 87 percent lower compared to the 6,125 cases reported in the same period in 2018.
On Aug. 6, 2019, the DOH declared a national dengue epidemic when the recorded cases from January to July 2019 reached 146,062 -- almost twice the number of cases recorded in the same period in 2018.
Seven out of the 17 regions exceeded the alert threshold for dengue in the same period.
The DOH, together with other government agencies, local government units, schools, offices, and communities, launched the Sabayang 4 O'Clock Habit para Deng-Get Out campaign in response to the epidemic.
"The success of the Sabayang 4 O'Clock Habit para Deng-Get Out campaign is attributed to its whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. It is through the concerted efforts of government agencies, our private sector and civil society organizations, development partners, schools, communities, and every Filipino that we were able to successfully address the dengue outbreak," Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a statement.
Duque advised the public "not to be complacent" despite the steady decline of dengue cases.
"We need to continually address the root causes of dengue and practice preventive measures all year round. I urge everyone to remain vigilant, and sustain the gains of the enhanced 4S strategy to keep dengue at bay," he said.
The DOH encouraged the public to search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites, employ self-protection measures, seek early consultation, and support fogging or spraying only in hotspot areas where an increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an impending outbreak. (PNA)
