Climate change blamed for increasing number of dengue, typhoid cases
11/20/2008 | 06:17 PM
MANILA, Philippines - The increasing number of dengue, malaria, cholera and typhoid fever cases could be attributed to climate change or global warming, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Thursday.
Duque said changes in cholera, typhoid fever and malaria have been predicted due to the changing pattern of rainy season.
“Clearly what was predicted about the impact of global warming is already happening. The different dengue trend, which before it was characterized by peaking every two to three years, now it has always been increasing,” Duque said.
“In global warming, the temperature is also increasing… and there’s going to be propensity for cholera, dengue, typhoid (fever) and malaria,” he added.
Duque however assured that these diseases are all “manageable” as long as the patients are brought to hospitals for immediate and proper treatment.
“We advise people to really exercise personal hygiene, sanitation, proper treatment of water and early consultation with doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Eric Tayag, head of the National Epidemiology Center, an attached agency of DoH, confirmed that the disease that hit residents in three villages in the town of Real in Quezon to be typhoid fever.
He said the blood and stool samples taken from the victims yielded Salmonella typhi, the bacterium that causes typhoid fever.
As of Nov. 19, a total of 109 residents of the villages of Poblacion 1, Poblacion 61, and Ungos have manifested symptoms similar to that of typhoid fever. - GMANews.TV
Duque said changes in cholera, typhoid fever and malaria have been predicted due to the changing pattern of rainy season.
“Clearly what was predicted about the impact of global warming is already happening. The different dengue trend, which before it was characterized by peaking every two to three years, now it has always been increasing,” Duque said.
“In global warming, the temperature is also increasing… and there’s going to be propensity for cholera, dengue, typhoid (fever) and malaria,” he added.
Duque however assured that these diseases are all “manageable” as long as the patients are brought to hospitals for immediate and proper treatment.
“We advise people to really exercise personal hygiene, sanitation, proper treatment of water and early consultation with doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Eric Tayag, head of the National Epidemiology Center, an attached agency of DoH, confirmed that the disease that hit residents in three villages in the town of Real in Quezon to be typhoid fever.
He said the blood and stool samples taken from the victims yielded Salmonella typhi, the bacterium that causes typhoid fever.
As of Nov. 19, a total of 109 residents of the villages of Poblacion 1, Poblacion 61, and Ungos have manifested symptoms similar to that of typhoid fever. - GMANews.TV
