MANILA — The Department of Health is set to declare a dengue outbreak as the Philippines reports rising cases of the mosquito-borne disease.

In a press conference Monday, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said he was closely monitoring the number of cases and was communicating with the director of the agency’s Epidemiology Bureau.

"Based on my conversation with the Epidemiology Bureau director, outbreak levels na ang ating dengue. Magde-declare din ako ng dengue outbreak," he said.

(Based on my conversation with the Epidemiology Bureau Director, dengue cases have reached outbreak levels. I will declare a dengue outbreak.)

Some 136,000 dengue cases were reported from January 1 to August 13, 2024, according to the latest data from the DOH. This is 33 percent higher than the 102,000 cases during the same period in 2023.

Mga lalawigang nakaranas ng dengue outbreak, nadagdagan

Despite this, there have been fewer dengue deaths, which, according to the DOH, is an "indication of people seeking early consultation, and hospitals doing better case management."

Several areas in the country have declared their own dengue outbreaks, including Iloilo province, Capiz, and Ormoc City, after logging a significant rise in cases.

According to the Law on Reporting of Communicable Disease, the declaration of local disease outbreaks must come from provincial, city, or municipal authorities, the DOH said.

Dengue cases up in PH, deaths down: DOH

But the agency said it continues to discuss with local epidemiology and surveillance units to "provide sufficient scientific evidence so that they may advise their local chief executives on the best available response."

The last time the DOH declared a national dengue epidemic was in 2019.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection endemic in the Philippines. Common symptoms include high fever, nausea, rashes, and vomiting. If left unattended, it can lead to severe complications in the lungs, hemorrhaging, and organ failure.

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