DOH: Flu-like illness cases increase

MANILA, Philippines — More than 100,000 cases of influenza-like illness have been recorded nationwide, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

The latest Disease Surveillance Report of the DOH showed that there were 114,278 flu-like cases from Jan. 1 to Dec. 3.

The number of cases is 45 percent higher compared to the 78,550 cases reported during the same period last year.

Davao recorded the highest number of cases with 23,177 followed by Northern Mindanao with 17,283 and Central Visayas, 12,151.

The regions that recorded the highest increase in cases are the National Capital Region with 589 percent or from 602 to 4,145 cases; Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 356 percent or from 540 to 2,460 cases and Soccsksargen, 139 percent or from 2,869 to 6,844 cases.

Data from the DOH’s Epidemiology Bureau showed that deaths caused by influenza-like illness reached 446 or a case fatality rate (CFR) of 0.4 percent.

Last year, 955 deaths were recorded, a CFR of 1.2 percent.

The regions with the most number of deaths are Davao with 162; Central Visayas, 127, and Caraga, 38.

The DOH had earlier warned the public of illnesses such as influenza, which is common during the holiday season

“We have a trend of illnesses or a season of illness. We experience this whenever the weather changes in the Philippines, like dry then it becomes rainy or hot then cold like this month of December,” DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

She said cases of influenza, pneumonia and ”worsened flu” usually increase this time of the year.

Influenza-like illness is a medical diagnosis of possible influenza or other illness causing a set of common symptoms.

The symptoms include fever, chills, dry cough, loss of appetite, body ache, nausea and sneezing.