Dengue cases mostly found in Central Visyas, Calabarzon

AMID the introduction of the dengue vaccines to public elementary school students there, the regions of Calabarzon and Central Visayas continue to account for the highest number of dengue cases in the country, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Based on its latest report on Dengue Cases, the DOH noted that the two regions with the most number of dengue cases during the period of January 1 to June 25 are Calabarzon with 7,463 (13.1 percent); and Central Visayas with 5,783 (10.1 percent).

Completing the Top 5 are Central Luzon with 5,586 (9.8 percent); Northern Mindanao with 5,521 (9.7 percent); and Socssksargen with 4,583 (8 percent).

Earlier, Grade 4 pupils aged 9 years old and above in public elementary schools in Calabarzon, Central Visayas, Central Luzon, as well as in Metro Manila, have been identified as the beneficiaries of the Dengue School-Based Immunization program of the DOH that started last April.

In the said program, the DOH has begun the administration of dengue vaccines to the identified beneficiaries to be comprised of three doses with the first one given from April to June 2016.

On the nationwide scale, the DOH said a total of 57,026 dengue cases have been recorded nationwide during the same period.

"This is 35.7 percent higher compared to the same time period last year, which is at 42,026," said the DOH report.

There were also a higher number of dengue deaths in 2016 with 248 compared to the 148 deaths in 2015 during the same period.

Found to have the biggest increase in cases are Eastern Visayas with a 206 percent increase from 610 last year to 1,870 this year; followed by Davao Region with a 138 percent increase from 1,679 last year to 4,002 this year; and Central Visayas with a 137 percent increase from 2,432 last year to 5,783 this year.

Meanwhile, having recorded a declining number of dengue cases are Cagayan Valley with a 43 percent drop from 2,664 in 2015 to 1,523 this year; and the National Capital Region with a downed number of 16 percent from 4,964 last year to 4,179 this year.