With onset of rainy season, DOH warns against dengue

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday issued a warning over the rising cases of dengue across the country with the onset of the rainy season.

DOH manager for the Dengue Control Program Dr. Lyndon Leesuy said dengue has already been on the rise this year owing to El Niño and they expect the situation to worsen during the rainy season.

“From January to April this year, we have recorded some 14,000 cases of dengue. During the same period last year, there were only 9,000 cases. It was high and with the rains, there is a big possibility that it will increase further,” he noted.

Asked why the dengue-causing mosquitoe Aedes Aegypti continues to thrive during the dry season, Leesuy said that people tend to store waters in containers, which become breeding sites for mosquitoes.    

“If you keep water in containers, you should make sure that they are properly covered. Otherwise mosquitoes will breed there,” he added.

But Leesuy also urged the public to take notice of vacant lots because these could also spark dengue outbreak.  

“In a bottle crown, three larvae can thrive. So imagine how many bottle crowns, used tires or milk cans you can find in a vacant lot,” he said.

Dengue cases tend to rise during rainy days because of build-up of clean and stagnant waters where mosquitoes breed.

Meanwhile, a low pressure area (LPA) might develop near Batanes this weekend that could trigger the onset of the rainy season in the country, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Pagasa administrator Prisco Nilo said an LPA is expected to form near Batanes on Saturday and there is a 40 percent probability that it would develop into a tropical cyclone.