DOH National Aedes-borne Viral Disease Prevention and Control Program Manager Aileen Espiritu (screengrab from Zoom meeting)
MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday reported that dengue cases and deaths have dropped significantly during the first four months of this year due to the government's intensified campaign against the disease amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In an online media briefing, DOH National Aedes-borne Viral Disease Prevention and Control Program Manager Aileen Espiritu said about 21,478 dengue cases were recorded from January to April 17 this year -- 56 percent lower than the 49,135 cases recorded in the same period last year.
Meanwhile, 80 deaths were so far recorded, which is equivalent to a 55-percent decline from last year's 179 deaths.
"The dengue morbidities and fatalities have greatly fluctuated. However, in August 2019 when a national dengue epidemic was declared in the country over a spike in cases leading to a cumulative 437,536 morbidities and 1,689 reported deaths," Espiritu said.
She noted there had been an 81-percent decrease in the number of cases in 2020 at 83,335 dengue cases and 324 deaths compared to 2019 where there were 437,563 recorded cases and 1,689 deaths.
“This may be attributed to the implementation of the enhanced 4S strategy namely search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites; secure 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 outbreak," she said. “For 2021, as of morbidity week 15, that is until April 17 of this year, we remain hopeful that the decrease in cases will continue, and of course this must be partnered with an integrated vector control management and other prevention activities.”
So far, the case fatality rate, which is equivalent to the percentage of deaths in relation to the total number of cases, for this year is 0.37.
In 2018, it was 0.50; 0.37 in 2019; and 0.39 in 2020.
For the government's dengue strategy amidst the pandemic, the DOH has "fully shifted" to the digital platform to distribute advisories to regional offices or Centers for Health and Development for their guidance and requested actions.
"We continue the fight against dengue amidst Covid-19 so we continue the regular conduct of program implementation review via virtual platform wherein we call on our regional directors to discuss policy direction and operational strategies to see successes and gaps encountered," Espiritu said. (PNA)
