National Nutrition Council MIMAROPA supports the National Dengue Awareness month this June by the virtue of Proclamation No. 1204 on 21 April 1998.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by four types of viruses (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4) belonging to the Flaviviridae family that has rapidly spread in recent years. The virus is transmitted by day biting Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus female mosquitoes which thrive in areas with stagnant water, including puddles, water tanks, containers, and old tires.

Dengue has been considered by the Department of Health as an all-year round disease which rises in incidence during the rainy season due to the presence of more breeding places for mosquitoes.

According to the Dengue Situation Update of the World Health Organization – Western Pacific Region dated 3 June 2021, there has been a total of 21,478 dengue cases with 80 deaths (CFR 0.4%) reported from 1 January to 17 April 2021, this is 56% lower compared to the 49,135 cases reported in the same period in 2020.

DOH continues its call to the public to prevent dengue by implementing the enhanced 4-S strategy in their households. 4S stands for: 

• Search and destroy the mosquito-breeding sites;
• Secure Self-protection measures by wearing long pants and long sleeve shirts, and daily use of mosquito repellent;
• Seek early consultation; and
• Support fogging/spraying only in hotspot areas where increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an impending outbreak.

In the essence of awareness, let us help prevent the spread of this disease by educating people and encouraging them to follow the simple but effective strategy of 4S!

(BLVMEstrella)

Sources:

Dengue and Severe Dengue. (2021). Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue

Dengue Prevention and Control Program. (no year). Retrieved from: https://doh.gov.ph/national-dengue-prevention-and-control-program

Dengue Situation Update Number 621. (2021). Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/wpro---documents/emergency/surveillance/dengue/dengue_20210603.pdf?sfvrsn=b4a28654_17#:~:text=In%20week%2010%20of%202021,54%20deaths%20(CFR%200.4%25)

Philippines General Health Risks: Dengue. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.iamat.org/country/philippines/risk/dengue

Proclamation No. 1204, s. 1998. (1998). Retrieved from: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1998/04/21/proclamation-no-1204-s-1998/