MANILA: Faced with a “staggering” rate of infection placed at 5,100 cases per week, the Department of Health has declared a national dengue epidemic that has claimed at least 622 lives since January.
The announcement on Tuesday came three weeks after the department issued a national dengue alert following a spike in reported cases of the mosquito-borne viral disease.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said 146,062 dengue cases were recorded nationwide from Jan 1 to July 20, or 98% higher than those reported in that period last year.“It is important that a national epidemic be declared to identify where a localised response is needed and to enable the local government units to use their quick response fund to address the epidemic,” Duque said at a press briefing at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in Camp Aguinaldo.Dengue is caused by a virus carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It has four known strains and can be fatal. There is no known cure.
The infection triggers a severe flu-like illness, often followed by a severe drop in a patient’s blood platelet count.
Defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana said a national emergency or state of calamity had not been declared, noting that there were “just areas where there are many cases of dengue”.
Samar is the latest province to declare a state of calamity, allowing it to use part of its calamity fund to help contain the illness.
Zamboanga Sibugay, Cavite, South Cotabato, Leyte and Eastern Samar earlier made the declaration.Some cities and municipalities have also declared a state of calamity. These include the Island Garden City of Samal and Iloilo City, as well as the towns of Rizal and Sofronio Espanola in Palawan, Pontevedra and President Roxas in Capiz, Maasin in Iloilo, Culasi and Sabaste in Antique, and Tantangan and Norala in South Cotabato.
Lorenzana said that as chair of the NDRRMC, he had issued a
memorandum circular “enjoining all member agencies to support
the nationwide dengue epidemic response”.
He directed all agencies to support the department’s efforts to “stop the epidemic or eliminate this epidemic once and for all because as the secretary of health said, the number (of dengue cases) is ‘staggering’”. — Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network
The announcement on Tuesday came three weeks after the department issued a national dengue alert following a spike in reported cases of the mosquito-borne viral disease.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said 146,062 dengue cases were recorded nationwide from Jan 1 to July 20, or 98% higher than those reported in that period last year.“It is important that a national epidemic be declared to identify where a localised response is needed and to enable the local government units to use their quick response fund to address the epidemic,” Duque said at a press briefing at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in Camp Aguinaldo.Dengue is caused by a virus carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It has four known strains and can be fatal. There is no known cure.
The infection triggers a severe flu-like illness, often followed by a severe drop in a patient’s blood platelet count.
Defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana said a national emergency or state of calamity had not been declared, noting that there were “just areas where there are many cases of dengue”.
Samar is the latest province to declare a state of calamity, allowing it to use part of its calamity fund to help contain the illness.
Zamboanga Sibugay, Cavite, South Cotabato, Leyte and Eastern Samar earlier made the declaration.Some cities and municipalities have also declared a state of calamity. These include the Island Garden City of Samal and Iloilo City, as well as the towns of Rizal and Sofronio Espanola in Palawan, Pontevedra and President Roxas in Capiz, Maasin in Iloilo, Culasi and Sabaste in Antique, and Tantangan and Norala in South Cotabato.
Lorenzana said that as chair of the NDRRMC, he had issued a
memorandum circular “enjoining all member agencies to support
the nationwide dengue epidemic response”.
He directed all agencies to support the department’s efforts to “stop the epidemic or eliminate this epidemic once and for all because as the secretary of health said, the number (of dengue cases) is ‘staggering’”. — Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
