Dengue is one of the most feared diseases in the country. It also affects all ages.
Once you get get sick, you don’t know if you will experience the mild or the severe form of dengue.
The dengue virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti, found indoors, and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes which prefer to stay in shrubs and trees. The virus enters the mosquito’s salivary gland, where it incubates for eight to 10 days. Then, the mosquito can pass the virus on to the next person it bites.
Progress in dengue prevention
The Philippines has shared the progress in its dengue prevention and control since the Declaration of the National Epidemic in August 2019.
Data from the Department of Health showed that there has been an 81 percent decrease in dengue cases and deaths for 2020 compared to 2019.
Based on the Philippine Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response Report, there is an observed continued 55-percent decrease in cases and 56-percent decrease in deaths during the same time period.
The DOH underscored that such a milestone can be attributed to the implementation of the “Guidelines for the Nationwide Implementation of the Enhanced 4S-Strategy against Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika.”
The main strategies include: 1) Search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites; 2) Self-protection (i.e., wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts, and daily use of mosquito repellent); 3) Seeking early consultation; and 4) Support fogging/spraying only in hotspot areas in anticipation of increased infectious diseases, especially during the rainy season.
To further strengthen its prevention measures, the DOH, through the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB), has released policy issuances related to the current Dengue activities such as Department Order 2020-0536, titled “Guidelines in the Conduct of a Dengue Mortality Review,” and Administrative Order 2021-0009, titled “Guidelines for the Establishment of Dengue Centers of Excellence (COEs) in Tertiary Hospitals.”
These interventions aim to identify current gaps in clinical management and to improve the service delivery for dengue.
The steady decline in dengue cases is indeed a very welcome development, according to Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III but appealed to the public not to be complacent.
“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,” Duque said.
Dengue awareness
The DOH on June 15 led the conduct of the 2021 Asean Dengue Day Regional Forum in observance of the National Dengue Awareness Month with the theme “ASEAN Unite Against Dengue Amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic.”
Proclamation 1204 series 1998 declares the month of June as the National Dengue Awareness Month.
For this year’s celebration, the Philippines was identified as the lead country for the celebration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Dengue Day. Participants shared their best practices in the prevention and control of dengue within the region amidst the Covid-19 pandemic during the Asean Dengue Day Regional forum.
Despite the decreasing trend, Centers for Health Development (CHDs) and local government units (LGUs) are encouraged to continuously implement the Enhanced 4S-Strategy to meet our goal.