DOH exec warns vs rising number of dengue cases

A Department of Health official on Friday warned the public of a possible increase in the number of dengue cases in the country in the coming months. In an interview on GMA Network's "Unang Balita," Dr. Eric Tayag, director of the National Epidemiology Center of the DOH, advised the public to be cautious against dengue.
“We were advising the whole country to brace for another bad dengue situation… historically, ang pagtaas nga mga kaso ay nangyayari sa August, September, at October," he said. According to GMA News' Dano Tingcungco, dengue cases in Metro Manila is already over 8,000. Meanwhile, one had succumbed to the disease in Batanes province with 900 recorded cases. Also, one died due to dengue in Laoang, Ilocos Norte, Tingcungco said. Moreover, Unang Balita said the death toll from dengue this year already hit 54 nationwide. While the number of dengue cases so far this year is lower than the same time period last year, Tayag said people should not feel complacent. "As possible, the public should maintain cleanliness in their surroundings and follow DOH's advise on getting rid of dengue carrying mosquitoes," Tayag said. — with Juvylle Almazan/LBG, GMA News