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The Department of Health on Tuesday reiterated its warning on the
rising cases of dengue in the country.
“The public should be told that the best, most
doable and most cost-effective approach against dengue is to search
and destroy all possible mosquito breeding grounds,” Health
Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd said.
Five people have already died from dengue, as
health officials recorded an alarming increase of cases in the first
12 days of the year.
Dengue cases recorded at the San Lazaro Hospital
in Manila have piled up to 380 from January 1 to January 12, a
211-percent increase compared to the same period last year, ABS-CBN
News reported, citing Eric Tayag, chief of the Philippine National
Epidemiological Center of the Health department.
He said the number could rise as the Health
department has yet to check other hospitals in Metro Manila.
Tayag said the increase in dengue cases in Metro
Manila can be attributed to the abnormal weather conditions,
mentioning that dengue-carrying mosquitoes could have be spreading
because of the rain showers in the past few days.
The disease is manifested by a sudden onset of
fever with flu-like symptoms of muscle and joint pains and severe
headache. The patient’s skin also develops bright red rashes,
which initially appears on the lower limbs and chest.
Duque said current trends in dengue incidents
indicate the continued growth of cases. He revealed that from
January to December 2007, at least 407 died from the disease, while
43,938 were hospitalized.
The Health secretary, in November, said that
dengue cases rose by 2 percent nationwide from January to November
2007 compared to the same period in 2006.
He urged residents to support the government’s
drive, saying that government efforts and the funds it was receiving
to fight the disease will only be wasted without the support and
cooperation of citizens.
ADB gives technical assistance to fight
dengue
THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a
technical assistance package for the country’s anti-dengue
program, the bank said in a statement.
The assistance, amounting to $100,000, will help
upgrade the surveillance system of the country’s epidemiological
center and build its capacity to respond effectively to the threat
of emerging infectious diseases such as dengue.
“Today, dengue is a major public health
concern in the Philippines, including Metro Manila and the
surrounding provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon
City,” said Tom Crouch, ADB country director.
Crouch said the ADB will also help fund the
Health Sector Development Program and “provide technical
assistance to strengthen the country’s response to HIV/AIDS among
High Risk Groups.”
The ADB official said the rapid spread of dengue
is related to constantly evolving socio-ecological systems and
stressed the vital role of the Departments of Education, the
Interior and Local Government, and the Public Works and Highways,
and communities in the efforts of the Health department to combat
the disease.
He added that the ADB specifically will finance
training on dengue prevention and control for municipal health
officers, public works officers, teachers and social mobilization of
communities. In addition, there will be awareness campaigns for
elementary and secondary schools to empower children to take the
lead in mobilizing their families and communities for a cleaner and
mosquito-free environment.
-- Darwin G. Amojelar and Rommel Lontayao with Xinhua
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