Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168199/D...-since-January

Dengue kills 24 in W. Visayas since January
07/25/2009 | 10:09 AM

Dengue has claimed at least 24 lives in Western Visayas from January to the second week of July this year, regional health authorities said.

Online news site The News Today reported that the Department of Health (DOH) recorded 1,515 cases of dengue in Western Visayas from Jan. 1 to July 11.

Iloilo City has the most number of cases and deaths for the first seven months of the year with 447 cases and 16 deaths.

The DOH identified three villages in Iloilo City where most of the dengue cases occurred: Sto. Ni?o, Arevalo; San Juan, Molo and Veterans Village in the city proper.

Also, it noted the number of dengue cases in the city tremendously increased in spite of the call of Mayor Jerry Tre?as to all residents to help in the campaign.

Tre?as issued an executive order to 180 barangay captains in the city to implement continuous clean-up activities in their respective villages to keep dengue-carrying mosquitoes from breeding.

In the DOH-6 report, Negros Occidental followed Iloilo City with 346 cases and two deaths; Iloilo province with 333 cases and five deaths; Bacolod City with 203 cases and no deaths;

Capiz with 80 cases and one death; Aklan with 43 cases and no registered death; Guimaras with 33 cases and no deaths; and Antique with six cases and no death.

The DOH noted an increase of 24 percent in the dengue cases compared in 2008 of the same period.

It also said the age level of the dengue victims ranged from as young as three months old to 75 years old. Female victims comprised the most number of victims reaching to 54 percent. - GMANews.TV

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakin...o-dengue-watch

San Pablo shifts to dengue watch

H1N1 monitoring continues
By Romulo Ponte
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 16:41:00 07/25/2009

Filed Under: Swine Flu, Health, Diseases, Epidemic and Plague

SAN PABLO CITY, Philippines -- Although Influenza A(H1N1) virus remains a concern for health officials here, they urge the residents to brace themselves for dengue fever, which has already afflicted 94 people this year, a city health official said.

Dr. Job Brion, city health officer, said that as of July 21, the dengue scourge has victimized 94 individuals and the number was expected to increase in the coming days as rainy season progresses.

The health officer said the worst-hit by the mosquito-borne disease in the city was the village of San Francisco (Calihan), which recorded 18 cases.

According to city health office, dengue cases peak during the months of August and September and decline in the months of October, November and onwards.

Brion said the best means to battle the upsurge of dengue in the locality was the ?Four S (4S)? guidelines set by the Department of Health:

1) Search and destroy the breeding grounds of dengue-carrying mosquitoes;
2) Self-Protection (repellant application, mosquito net);
3) Seek early treatment;
4) Say no to indiscriminate fogging.

Fogging is employed only when there is a major dengue outbreak.

Brion, however, emphasized that H1N1 remains a serious concern because the virus is now found in various places, mostly schools in the city.

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://www.thenewstoday.info/2009/07...15.deaths.html

July 27, 2009 Iloilo City, Philippines
City has only 100 dengue cases, 15 deaths

By Maricar M. Calubiran

City Mayor Jerry Tre?as maintains Iloilo City has only 100 dengue cases and 15 confirmed deaths contrary to the report of the Department of Health (DoH) regional office which registered 447 cases and 16 confirmed deaths or 463 cases. The high figures from the health department put Iloilo City on the top list of local government units in Western Visayas with the most number of dengue cases and deaths.

Tre?as said he was informed by Dr. Mae Delmo, head of the city?s dengue awareness program, that the regional health office included dengue patients who are not from Iloilo City in their report. Even if the victim is not from Iloilo City but brought to the hospital in the city, it is being counted for Iloilo City. This contributed on the increase on the number of dengue cases for Iloilo City.

He stressed the number of dengue deaths for the city is only 15 and not 16. The latest victim is a 12-year old from Fil-Am compound in Jaro. No other details were provided regarding the recent dengue fatality. The chief executive has also reminded the residents for a continuous clean up activities to destroy the breeding place of the dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

The search and destroy method is one of the measures included in the 4S strategy formulated to address the problems on dengue. The 4S also includes self-protection by wearing proper clothing, seek early consultation and say no to indiscriminate fogging. Fogging is discouraged as it brings risks to individuals suffering from asthma.

On the other hand, the DOH-6 also stood on their figures with 463 cases which include 16 deaths. The health department through Dr. Glen Alonsabe, regional epidemiologist, considered the dengue related deaths as alarming and recommended the local government to review their action plan on dengue. He stressed the importance of the community and school in the campaign against dengue.

Alonsabe recalled that during the time of former Iloilo Governor now 3rd District Congressman Arthur Defensor, they came up with a very effective action plan which called for the help of elementary students. They were given assignments to write down areas in their respective schools where they can see the presence of wrigglers.

The students submitted their assignments to their teacher. Immediately, the places where wrigglers were found were given attention. In two months time, the number of dengue cases was reduced, said Alonsabe.
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[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/re...die-due-dengue

Alarm raised in Tuguegarao after 3 die due to dengue

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 07/29/2009 8:30 PM

MANILA ? Alarm bells were rung in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan province after 3 deaths attributed to the dreaded dengue virus.

The alarm was raised by the Tuguegarao City Health Office also after the number of cases due to the mosquito-borne virus surged in July.

The three fatalities were a 72-year old woman in Barangay Buntun, an 11-year old girl in Barangay Annafunan East and a 7-year old pupil from Barangay Linao East.

?Nakakagulat kasi 32 noong January to June and now biglang 50. Almost double base sa hospital records na nakuha din natin,? said Dr. James Guzman, Tuguegarao City health officer.

Guzman said that no fatalities due to dengue were recorded in the January to June period.

Sanitation teams were deployed in the city?s barangays especially in the areas where there were fatalities.

The city health office has also tightened coordination with hospitals in the city. ?Kalimitan kasi, malala na ang mga pasyente bago magpa-ospital, tulad ng nangyari sa dalawang namatay,? said Guzman.

The city?s health officer called on city residents to cooperate in cleaning their surroundings to stop the breeding of the mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus. From a report of Brigette Mayor, ABS-CBN Cagayan Valley
as of 07/29/2009 8:30 PM

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://www.tempo.com.ph/news.php?aid=49088

Dengue kills another kid in Cavite
Anthony Giron

Health officials called on residents in Cavite to be wary of the dengue disease following the death of another victim in the town.

Dr. Maria Vilma V. Diez, head of Cavite Provincial Health Office, made the call as she noted the rising number of dengue cases in the province in the last three months.

Diez asked the residents to take precautionary measures to prevent the disease which are prevalent during the rainy season.

The health official made the reminder as she reported that another child succumbed to dengue hemorrhagic fever in the province.

Sanitary Inspector II Anabelle R. Dilig identified the fartality as Renz Albert de la Vega, 4, of Barangay Tambo, Ilaya, Indang, Cavite.

De la Vega, died from dengue hemorrhagic fever at the General Emilio F. Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital in Trece Martires City.

Dilig said De la Vega was the second dengue fatality in Indang. There were at least six other dengue cases in the town, it was learned.

She claimed that there are 200 dengue cases and three fatalities recorded during the last seven months.

The dengue update coordinator reported that there were 819 cases and seven fatalities in 2008.

"We have to remind again the residents about dengue which are prevalent during the rainy months," said Diez in talakayan (meeting with officials and residents).

The health official said the dengue disease can be prevented by cleaning the surroundings such as canals and grounds with stagnant water or areas with unused tires, bottles and things where the mosquito-carrying dengue virus breed.

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://www.tempo.com.ph/news.php?aid=49379




Dengue toll in Cebu City now 15
Mars W. Mosqueda Jr.

CEBU CITY ? The dreaded dengue disease continues to wreak havoc in the City, claiming yet two more lives of children last week, raising the number of dengue deaths this year to 15, records at the City Epidemiology Surveillance and Statistics Unit (CESSU) showed.

The number of dengue deaths in the city for this year has now reached 15 with the recent addition of a four-year-old girl from Barangay Camputhaw and a five-year-old girl from Barangay Tisa, who reportedly died on August 6 and 7, respectively, due to the dengue virus.

On July 24, dengue claimed the lives of a nine-year-old girl from Barangay Poblacion-Pardo and an eight-year-old boy from Barangay Carreta. All of the victims were rushed to the Cebu City Medical Center when their conditions were already severe, said CESSU officer Dorenda Macasucol.

The number of dengue cases in the city has reached 500 from January up to the first week of August. The figure is still lower compared with the same period last year.

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/ceb...engue-cases-up

Dengue cases up

Cebu Daily News First Posted 08:56:00 08/14/2009

CEBU City has the most number of dengue cases in the Central Visayas, according to the health department.

The latest Department of Health in Central Visayas' Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu) dengue update showed a sharp rise in dengue cases with 2,436 cases and 24 deaths recorded from January 1 to Aug. 8.

Cebu City registered 382 cases and nine deaths in this count.

The number of dengue cases recorded is seven percent higher compared to the same period last year when there were only 2,275 cases and 70 deaths.

Next to Cebu City is Lapu-Lapu City with 286 cases and five deaths followed by Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental is third with 268 cases and no deaths.

In the meantime, Cebu City Medical Center doctors denied accusations that they did not conduct blood transfusion to a four-year-old boy who later died of dengue.

Dr. James Lee Maratas who treated the boy from barangay Guadalupe said a doctor set the blood donor for a blood transfusion on Aug. 12. The boy died dawn that day.

The boy had undergone three blood transfusions with blood from the CCMC.

Dr. Myrna Go, CCMC chief of hospital said they had all the records in the hospital and they can identify which doctors are in charge of each patient.

She asked Irene Dakay, the mother of another four year old girl from barangay Camputhaw, another dengue fatality who claimed they were not treated well, to go to her office so that she could identify the persons involved and take appropriate actions if necessary.

The other doctors would have wanted to explain their side but they were attending an important meeting yesterday afternoon. /Editorial Assistant Ma. Bernadette A. Parco and Reporter Marian Z. Codilla

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/ceb...-by-population

Talamban tops dengue cases by population

Cebu Daily News First Posted 16:36:00 08/21/2009 Filed Under: Dengue


SINCE THE beginning of the year, 17 people in Cebu City have died of dengue.

They were among 676 residents who got sick of the mosquito-borne disease from Jan. 1 to Aug. 15, according to the City Health Department.

Of the city?s 80 barangays, barangay Kamputhaw has the most number of dengue cases at 55, with two deaths.

But in proportion to a barangay?s population, barangay Talamban has the highest rate of infection at 35 for a population of 11,781 ? an infection percentage of 0.297 percent.

Barangay Luz ranks third in infection percentage at 0.285, with 30 cases among its 10,510 residents, with no deaths.

In terms of percentage, Kamputhaw came in third. With a population of 22,492 and 55 reported case, its infection percentage is 0.244.

Dengue cases from Jan. 1 to Aug. 15 were 24.7 percent lower compared to the same period last year at 898 cases and 37 deaths.

The number didn?t satisfy Mayor Tomas Osme?a, who said it was his wish that no one would die from dengue.

The mayor earlier criticized the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), where some dengue-related deaths occurred due to delayed or wrong diagnosis.

But opposition leader Jonathan Guardo said the problem with the CCMC is not with its staff, but due to the failure of City Hall to invest.

He said Osme?a should stop blaming doctors and start investing more on health services, especially the CCMC.

While Osme?a wants to sell CCMC to a private investor or close it down, Guardo said such a move would be ?anti-poor? because the poor could not afford to go to a private hospital.

? Without the CCMC, we will have more casualties,? said Guardo, who has plans to run for south district congressman.

?Staffing is undermanned and facilities and medicines inadequate. Quite obviously, there is underinvestment for the hospital,? Guardo said.

Guardo also criticized the mayor for giving out ?financial assistance? to the city?s senior citizens.

He said these ?dole-outs? may be part of the mayor?s plan to also run for Congress in the south district, pitting both men against each other in the 2010 elections.

If the city were serious in helping the the elderly and people with disabilities, Guardo said City Hall should do it in the form of financial assistance.

Guardo said that cash handouts would only help in the short term, but livelihood programs would be sustainable.

He also questioned why the mayor would only give these assistances to registered voters. This, Guardo said, was a sign of ?politicking,? as there are many elderly who are bedridden and are incapable of renewing their voting registration. /Reporter Marian Codilla and Correspondent Chris A. Ligan

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://www.thenewstoday.info/2009/08...of.dengue.html

August 26, 2009 Iloilo City, Philippines

12-year old boy dies of dengue

By Maricar M. Calubiran

A 12-year old elementary pupil of A. Montes II Elementary School died of dengue hemorrhagic fever. The victim, Charles Patrick Magallanes of Veterans Village, City Proper, died hours after he was brought to the hospital.

It was learned that the boy was already ill when brought to the hospital. Prior to his admission at the St. Paul?s Hospital, his family brought him to a private doctor after he experienced headache and has high fever.

They were given medicines and advised to go back Monday for the CBC laboratory test. However, Magallanes?s family decided to bring him to the hospital on the same day after they sensed something is wrong with the victim.

He was admitted Monday morning and was diagnosed with dengue fever in the afternoon. He died late night on the same day. He was already in stage 3.

The victim?s grandfather Teresito suspected that his grandson was bitten by a dengue-carrying mosquito in their school. There are swampy portions at the back of the school which probably became the breeding ground of the mosquitoes.

The barangay has already initiated clean up activities to stop the mosquitoes from procreating. Everyday, all the waste in each household surroundings are cleaned and disposed, he said.

Recently, fogging operation was conducted at A. Montes II Elementary School. Veterans Village is one of the barangays identified by the Department of Health which have number of dengue cases.

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://www.thenewstoday.info/2009/08...ty.trenas.html

August 27, 2009 Iloilo City, Philippines

There?s no dengue outbreak in city: Tre?as

By Maricar M. Calubiran

The problem on dengue hemorrhagic fever in Iloilo City has not yet reached a level that it could be considered an outbreak.

City Mayor Jerry Tre?as made this statement yesterday amid reports that the number of dengue cases in the city continue to increase.

Tre?as said there are dengue cases in the city but it is not sufficient to consider a dengue outbreak.

There are some 20 recorded dengue deaths here. The number of dengue deaths and cases in the city is much higher compared to previous year?s.

Health officials are still confirming the report of additional dengue death. The last confirmed dengue fatality is 12-year old Patrick Charles Magallanes of Veterans Village, City Proper.

The dengue deaths keep on increasing in spite of the several campaigns of the city government. Information campaign has been launched early this year before the onset of the rainy season.

Weeks ago, the City Health Office (CHO) issued an appeal to the residents to exercise preventive measures and seek immediate medical attention should they manifest dengue-like symptoms.

The appeal was made after the health office observed an increase in the dengue cases in the city for the past seven months. Iloilo City has the most number of dengue cases in Western Visayas.

Tre?as also issued several memorandum orders to the punong barangays to initiate clean up drive to destroy the breeding place of dengue-carrying mosquitoes particularly in dengue stricken barangays.

The health department identified barangays Sto. Nino, Arevalo; San Juan, Molo and Veterans Village, City Proper as dengue stricken barangays in the city.

The city has embarked on the 4S strategy to address the problems on dengue. The 4S strategy refers to: search and destroy, self-protection by wearing proper clothing, seek early consultation and say no to indiscriminate fogging. A task force chaired by Dr. Mae Delmo of the City Health Office was also created to monitor and come up with a solution on the rising dengue cases.

Dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever are caused by viral strains. The virus is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes Stegomyia aegypti and Stegomyia albopticus, previously known as Aedes aegypti. Dengue is the second deadliest mosquito-borne illness after malaria.

There are no specific treatments for dengue fever available yet, supportive treatments include bed rest, fluid administration and analgesia. There is no available vaccine to prevent dengue fever, although several vaccines are currently in development.

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/ceb...admittances-up

Cebu City hospital admittances up
By Marian Z. Codilla
Cebu Daily News First Posted 10:03:00 08/31/2009

Even though much of the services of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) have been relegated to barangay health centers, the city-run hospital is still seeing a rise in admittances, mostly dengue patients.

Dr. Myrna Go, CCMC head, said the hospital admitted 92 dengue patients last July, more than double the number in the same period last year, with the trend continuing as of the first two weeks of August.

Go said that the situation had come to the point wherein the beds in the pediatrics ward on the third floor had to accommodate three patients.

And even if a bed became free, hospital administrators would rather not spread the patients out, especially those in critical condition, so that it would be easier for the hospital?s few doctors to check on the patients.

?We only have three doctors doing the rounds beyond office hours,? Go said. ?Besides, dengue is not contagious, so they can?t contaminate each other.?

She said only patients who have the same condition are made to share beds in the hospital ward if necessary.

The rise in patients at the CCMC could be attributed to the weather, since more people get sick on rainy days, Go said.

?We have no choice (but to admit them), unless they choose to transfer on their own. But they stay here because they don?t have to pay and needed blood is just donated. That?s why some would just content themselves with sitting down, just as long as they're admitted,? she said.

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns...203542921.html

Philippines: Dengue Fever on the Rise
2009-9-3 11:26

Here at Manila?s San Lazaro Hospital, almost a hundred patients are being treated for dengue fever each day. Many are children who live in over-crowded urban neighborhoods that have poor sanitation.

Seven-month old Diane Chavez was the second in her family to catch the virus, following her 11-year-old sister.

[Maria Chavez, Diane's Mother]:
"I'm worried because there's a chance that all the people in our small rented space got infected. I'm worried that my other child will also get it. Her older brother who's two-years-old, he might get the virus too."

Attending a conference in Manila on infectious diseases, is director of the Asia Pacific Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the University of Hawaii, Duane Gubler.

Gubler says the rapid growth of densely populated cities, is one reason for the spread of dengue fever. 50-100 million people are infected each year, causing tens of thousands of deaths, mainly among children. Up to three billion people are already at risk worlwide.

[Duane Gubler, Infectious Disease Expert]:
"The cities can't keep up with the population growth. The result is a breakdown in a lot of basic services - inadequate water, inadequate sewage, inadequate waste management, inadequate housing. The result is very crowded living conditions for a large number of people. And with inadequate basic services, the mosquito population has increased."

Mosquitoes breed in poorly sanitised slums in urban capitals around the world. The lack of control on the mosquito population, is another contributor to the spread of the disease.

[Duane Gubler, Infectious Disease Expert]:
"We've got Manila, we've got Bangkok, we've got Jakarta. We've got all of these cities which are mega-cities. So it's very difficult to control the mosquitoes without the help of the people who live in the houses where most of the mosquitoes breed. And so the recommendation to control has to be a partnership between government health agencies and the people."

Finally, the rise in air travel is spreading dengue strains around the world. In the 50s, only 10 countries in Southeast and South Asia had dengue problems. Now, the disease has spread to about 100 states in the Pacific islands, Latin America and Africa.

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://www.thenewstoday.info/2009/09....reported.html

September 7, 2009 Iloilo City, Philippines
574 dengue cases in Bacolod City reported

By JC Locsin

BACOLOD CITY ? City Health Officer Dr. Salome Bi?as reported recently to Mayor Evelio Leonardia that dengue cases in Bacolod City reached to 574 with six confirmed deaths reported by different hospitals from January 1 to July 18 this year.

Bi?as said that this is 130 percent higher compared to the same period last year but 34 percent lower than same period last 2007. She stressed that this number of cases continues to rise and maybe because of the increase of the population and insufficient waste management in the household level.

Because of this reported dengue cases, Mayor Evelio Leonardia wrote the Sangguniang Panlungsod through Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, requesting the latter for the passage of a resolution declaring that there is an imminent danger of calamity in Bacolod City.

Bi?as said that as of this date, the most number of cases came from Barangay Estefania, followed by Barangay Villamonte, Mansilingan, Taculing, Mandalagan, Banago, Tangub, Alijis and Bata. She noted that this cases came from the densely populated barangays of Bacolod City. She also said that her office, continue to implement various programs such as intensifying education campaign, distribution of IEC materials, lecture on schools, hotels and offices.

Her office likewise applies larvaecidal chemicals to stagnant water in all barangays, fogging of confirmed cases and fogging of public establishments and schools. Earlier, the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) was able to monitor a total 1,675 for the period January 1 to July 18, 2009. These cases were monitored from the 29 sentinel sites throughout Western Visayas. The number of dengue cases in the regional level, is 26 percent higher compared to the same period last year. Ages of the patients range from less than 3 months to 75 years old (median 10 years). Majority of the cases are males (53%). Fifty two percent of the cases belonged to the 1-10 years age group. Most of the cases were identified from the two highly urbanized cities of Iloilo and Bacolod.

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/ceb...-due-to-dengue

Zapatera named calamity area due to dengue

Cebu Daily News First Posted 10:13:00 09/07/2009 Filed Under: Dengue

Zapatera has been declared as a calamity area after dengue cases in the barangay increased to 13 in just two weeks at the end of August.

The Cebu City Council took note that Zapatera only recorded four dengue cases from January to Aug. 6.

However, the number of cases rapidly increased to 13 since Aug. 7.

Zapatera used to have an average of six dengue cases in the past three years.

Zapatera barangay captain Jose Marino Benedicto, in a resolution, said the barangay has to prepare for a worse-case scenario and has to be equipped with the necessary medicines and supplies to deter the rise of dengue cases.

The barangay will use its calamity funds to purchase medicines, supplies, equipment and other materials to curb the disease.

The cases of dengue for the month of August increased to 299 compared to 128 recorded in the same period last year.

The City Health Department recorded 895 dengue cases from January to August this year.

August had the most number of cases at 299 compared to the previous months.

Records at the CHD showed that 106 dengue cases were reported in June and 186 in July.

Barangays Guadalupe had the most number of dengue cases at 67 with two deaths followed by barangays Kamputhaw with 60 cases with three deaths; Talamban with 50 cases and only one death; Labangon with 46 cases and three deaths; Basak San Nicolas with 45 cases and one death and Tisa with 39 cases and two deaths.

The numbers are based on the records from January to August 2009.

[Shiloh]

Re: Philippines: Dengue cases 2009

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/219444...ng-unstoppable

Dengue becoming unstoppable
By JENNY F. MANONGDO
September 6, 2009, 7:02pm

The mosquito-borne disease dengue has become unstoppable due to climate change, according to global health experts who advised nations to institute more aggressive elimination drives to stem the disease that sickens over 50 million and kills 24,000 worldwide every year.

Cold temperature kills adult mosquitoes, including their larvae, limiting the population of dengue carrying mosquitoes. However, global warming has disrupted this natural procedure, resulting to increased mosquito populations and consequently of dengue worldwide.

The World Health Organization said tropical countries like the Philippines are particularly at high risk.

A recent four-day symposium hosted by the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD) in
Mandaluyong City brought together leading dengue experts including scientists that discussed the growing global presence of the disease as they struggle to find solutions, including vaccines to prevent its spread.

NITD is a Singapore-based nonprofit research facility devoted to finding medicines to treat ?neglected? infectious diseases.

Dengue fever is transmitted through the bite of the Stegomyia albopticus (formerly known as Aedes
Aegypti) mosquito and is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, weakness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, eye, joint and muscle pain, and rashes.

There are four known strains of dengue, considered the second deadliest mosquito-borne disease next to next to malaria.

"Temperature is only one of the many complex factors in the transmission of the disease. The major drivers of global dengue are population growth, modern transportation and lack of effective mosquito control," Dr. Duane Gubler, Director of the Asia Pacific Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, told delegates during the symposium.[/B]
In the Philippines, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III revealed that the Philippines experienced an alarming rise in reported dengue cases in 2007 when there were over 45,300 cases and 416 deaths. It was the second worst year for dengue following the first one in 1998.

"It was a pattern that was unusual because we were reporting dengue even at the start of the year ? outside of the peak season. And what's more, the cases were bursting out of the usual 3- to 5-year epidemic cycles," Duque said.

"Dengue had thus become a virus that was misbehaving out of its niche and a frightening year-round public health threat."

The health chief said the Department of Health began a more ?aggressive assault against dengue in 2006 through a large-scale vector eradication and public education programs?.

Duque said although the Philippines lacked the important diagnostic tools, drugs and vaccines against dengue, the DoH relied on working with local governments and community leaders in eliminating stagnant water and other possible mosquito breeding sites.

"Education was the only tool that we have and prevention, our main focus. While we have had some success for the first time in four years to put the brakes on the accelerating trends of dengue, work is needed to develop new approaches for dengue and to understand the disease more clearly to reduce its toll and to improve its outcomes in clinical management," he said.

Duque revealed that there is a 37 percent decrease in reported dengue cases as of August 2009 compared to the same period last year.

As of September 1, there are a total of 16,317 dengue cases reported nationwide compared to the same period last year when a total of 25,969 dengue cases entered the dengue disease surveillance report of the DoH.

The areas that posted the highest dengue cases this year are NCR, Davao del Sur, Batangas, Rizal, Iloilo, Guimaras, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, and Nueva Ecija.
[B]