DOH: Clean surroundings as height of dengue season begins

As the rainy season has officially started, the Department of Health (DOH) urged the public on Monday to conduct cleanliness drives in their communities to prevent the spread of dengue-carrying mosquitoes. At a press briefing, the DOH emphasized the importance of cleaning not only the homes and schools but also places like churches and markets, as well as the streets and public playgrounds. "Hindi ma-pinpoint kung saan nakuha ang dengue. Laging sinasabi ng mga magulang, sa eskwelahan nakuha ng mga anak nila 'yung dengue, pero maaring nakagat 'yung bata habang naglalakad sa daan," said Health Undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa. "You can never be sure, so kailangan yung buong komunidad talaga ang malinis," he said. (You cannot pinpoint where one gets bitten by the dengue-carrying mosquito. Parents say their children got it from school, but the child could have gotten it while walking in the street. The entire community has to be clean.) While dengue is now considered a year-round disease, the number of dengue cases rises during rainy days when there are more mosquito breeding sites. To prevent dengue, the DOH advised the public to destroy all possible mosquito breeding sites like old tires, tin cans and roof gutters. Number of dengue cases rises At the same press briefing, the Health Department reported that the number of cases from January 1 to May 7 this year rose by 8 percent compared to the same period last year. In that period, 22,903 dengue cases have been recorded nationwide, while 141 deaths were recorded. Almost 30 percent of the recorded cases come from the National Capital Region. Four out of 10 dengue patients are children between one and 10 years old. The DOH Center for Health Development is coordinating with local government units to conduct the Health Department's "4S Kontra Dengue" strategy: