MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health on Wednesday said it has recorded a total of 90,771 dengue cases since January this year even as it noted that dengue incidence has started decreasing.
The DOH said reported dengue cases have dropped from an average of 7,285 cases per week in August to only 2,740 cases per week this month.
It noted that the disease only has a 1% mortality rate.
The health department said dengue incidence has decreased in Central Visayas, Eastern Mindanao and Ilocos region except La Union.
Dengue cases are still rising in Caloocan, Manila and Quezon City, the DOH added.
Militant groups, meanwhile, chided the national government for its slow response to the dengue outbreak.
They said the government should increase the health budget to P90 billion to facilitate the purchase of more medicine and medical equipment to combat dengue.
Dengue fever is an acute illness caused by a bite of a striped Aedes aegypti mosquito. In the Philippines, dengue usually occurs during the rainy season, or from June to September.
The DOH earlier devised a strategy to educate the public on home treatment of mild dengue cases in an effort to decongest hospitals.