DOH DECLARES NATIONAL DENGUE EPIDEMIC

Press Release/6 August 2019

The Department of Health (DOH) today requested the National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council Chair Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana to convene a full
council meeting and declared a national dengue epidemic in the wake of the 146,062
cases recorded since January up to July 20 this year, 98% higher than the same period in
2018. There were 622 deaths.

Based on the DOH Dengue Surveillance Report, Region VI (Western Visayas) had
the most number of cases at 23,330, followed by Region IV-A (CALABARZON) with
16,515, Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) with 12,317, Region X (Northern Mindanao)
with 11,455, and Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN) with 11,083 cases.

“It is important that a national epidemic be declared in these area to identify

where a localized response is needed, and to enable the local government units to use
their Quick Response Fund to address the epidemic situation.” Health Secretary Francisco
T. Duque III stressed.

Meanwhile, seven (7) out of these seventeen (17) regions have exceeded the
epidemic threshold of dengue in their regions for the past three consecutive weeks.
These regions are: Region IV-A (CALABARZON) with 16,515 cases; MIMAROPA – 4,254; V
(Bicol) with 3,470; VI (Western Visayas) with 23,330; VIII (Eastern Visayas) with 7,199; IX
(Zamboanga Peninisula) with 12, 317; and X (Northern Mindanao) with 11,455 cases.

Other regions exceeded the alert threshold level, such as Region I (Ilocos) with
4,396 cases; VII (Central Visayas) with 10,728; and BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao) with 2,301.

The total number of cases nationwide for the 29th Morbidity Week alone (July 14-
20) is 10,502. This is 71% higher compared to the same period in 2018 (6,128 cases).

Starting today, the Department of Health together with other government

agencies, LGUs, schools, offices, and communities will conduct the Sabayang 4-O’clock
Habit para Deng-Get Out, focusing on search and destroy of mosquito breeding sites.
This is one of the primary interventions to prevent and control dengue.

“Kaya sabaysabaytayong mag-search and destroy tuwing 4’ o clock para deng-get-

out!”, Duque urged the public.

NDRRMC Update: Sitrep No. 13 re Dengue Outbreak, 07 August 2019, 8:00 AM

REPORT
from Government of the Philippines
Published on 07 Aug 2019
I. Situation Overview:
Dengue is the fastest spreading vector-borne disease in the world endemic in 100
countries. It is transmitted by day biting Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes
and is a viral disease with no known vaccine or specific antibiotics. Effective surveillance
can also help in reducing cases and deaths if areas with clustering of cases were
identified early.

The Philippine Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (PIDSR) data for Western
Visayas reported that the number of Dengue cases exceeded the epidemic threshold in
the period of 1 January - 15 June 2019.

ll. Effects:

A. CASUALTIES

A total of 481 dead and 116,790 dengue cases were reported in Regions III, MIMAROPA,
CALABARZON, VI, VII, VIII, X, XII, and CAR, and CARAGA from 1 January to 3 August 2019.
The number of deaths increased by 40 while the number of cases increased by 10,546
with details follows:

DOH: Prevention is key to avert dengue outbreak

REPORT
from Government of the Philippines
Published on 01 Aug 2019 —View Original
By Leonard T. Pineda, I
Published on August 1, 2019

ILOILO CITY, Aug. 1 (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) underscored the
importance of preventive measures to deter outbreaks such as dengue fever.
In a press conference held July 25 at District 21 Hotel here, DOH Secretary
Francisco Duque III emphasized the enhanced “4S strategy”, which stands for search and
destroy mosquito-breeding sites; self-protection measures; seek early consultation; and
support fogging or spraying in hotspot areas to prevent an impending outbreak.
“An ounce of prevention is better than pounds of cure and nothing is more
compelling than this adage,” he said.
He said it is wise and smart to invest in preventive measures and in health
promotions and campaigns.“We have to prevent rather than go to the very expensive
business of treating and not only that but bringing these patients and exposing them to
the risks of deadly complications,” he added.
Duque recently visited the city and province of Iloilo to assess the dengue situation
and conduct a dialogue with selected local chief executives in Western Visayas.
The DOH Secretary also said that a total of P39.19 million worth of medicines,
supplies and other logistics have been provided to Region 6.
He also inspected government hospitals including the West Visayas State University
Medical Center, Western Visayas Medical Center, the rural health unit in Cabatuan, Iloilo
and Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital, also in Cabatuan. (JBG/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)
Statement of DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año on the National Dengue Epidemic

With the Department of Health (DOH)’s declaration of a national dengue epidemic,

the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is enjoining all local
government units (LGUs) to act swiftly in preventing dengue and other mosquito-borne
diseases by implementing the Enhanced 4S Strategy in their areas.

“Enhanced 4S” stands for (1) search and destroy breeding sites; (2) seek early
consultation; (3) self-protection; and (4) say Yes to fogging only in hotspot areas where
increase is registered for two consecutive weeks.

At the community level, all mayors and barangay officials are urged to spearhead
the following activities:

-Activate the Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue.

-Synchronize the conduct of the 4 o’clock habit or the simultaneous cleaning of the
household and community surroundings, getting rid of stagnant water and other
mosquito-breeding sites, and conduct of measures to prevent water stagnation every
day, starting at 4:00 pm.

-Facilitate chemical intervention, such as spraying and larviciding or the regular

application of microbial or chemical insecticides to water bodies or water containers to
kill mosquito larvae and pupae.

-Encourage residents to observe early consultation.

The gravity of the dengue situation prompts us to work closely together because the
health of our people is at stake. Local government officials are therefore advised to
coordinate with their respective DOH Regional Office (Center for Health Development) in
carrying out initiatives to prevent dengue. It is also necessary to reproduce and
disseminate DOH information materials about dengue to inform and alert the public on
how they can help prevent the spread of the disease in their respective communities.

To ensure that those afflicted with dengue will be well taken cared of, LGUs should
oversee the preparedness of Rural Health Units (RHUS) and LGU-operated hospitals and
ensure the availability of adequate logistics in the local health facilities, such as Oresol,
non-structural protein 1 based rapid diagnostic tests (NS1 RDT), larvicides and
medicines. Ambulances should also be at the ready to provide emergency transport for
patients during referrals.

At this time when a lot of lives are endangered by dengue, there is no room for LGUs to
be lax or negligent. I, therefore, urge our local government officials to take into heart the
mandate of the Local Government Code that every LGU shall ensure and support, among
other things, the promotion of health and safety and preserve the comfort and
convenience of their constituents.
Philippines declares epidemic after dengue fever kills more than 600
Cases have gone up 98% after the government banned a vaccine widely
blamed for causing the deaths of children

An outbreak of dengue fever in the Philippines has been declared a national epidemic
after causing hundreds of deaths this year in the wake of a government ban on the
vaccine.

The country has recorded 146,062 cases of dengue from January through to 20 July this
year, 98% more than the same period in 2018, the department of health said. The
outbreak has already claimed the lives of 622 people. The group worst affected have
been children below the age of 10.

Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide, can lead
to haemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases and there is no specific treatment for
the illness.

'People are very scared': fighting dengue fever in Brazil – in pictures

The outbreak follows a nationwide ban on the sale and distribution of the Dengvaxia
vaccine, a dengue vaccine made by French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur, in
February. The company had been at the heart of a scandal in the Philippines in late 2017
and 2018, when dozens of children given the vaccine as part of a nationwide
immunisation programme died. The firm conceded that the product could put some
children at higher risk.

Dengvaxia is currently the only dengue vaccination available on the market, but the
World Health Organisation recommends that it should only be given to those in high risk
areas who have already been exposed to the virus. It is rarely used in mass
immunisation projects.

The government suspended all dengue vaccination programmes last year and set up an
investigation into Dengvaxia. Sanofi Pasteur was found by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) to have shown “complete disregard of government rules and
regulations” and in February the government decided to ban the vaccine.

However, the nationwide panic and widespread mistrust of vaccinations caused by the
Dengvaxia scandal led immunisation rates for both dengue and measles to plummet in
the Philippines, resulting in an ongoing measles epidemic across the country and now a
dengue epidemic. There have already been more than 35,000 recorded cases of measles
and almost 500 deaths, a 600 per cent increase on last year.

To fight the dengue outbreak, the department of health said that it was conducting a
campaign to focus on finding and destroying mosquito breeding sites, while also issuing
guidelines for people to wear insect repellant and wear clothes that cover the skin.

Health minister Francisco Duque said the government was studying an appeal to allow
Dengvaxia back in the Philippine market, but ruled out using the drug to combat the
ongoing epidemic which has hit small children the hardest.
 “This vaccine does not squarely address the most vulnerable group which is the 5-9
years of age,” Duque said. The vaccine, now licensed in 20 countries according to the
World Health Organization, is approved for use for those aged nine and older.

Duque said the United Nations agency also advised Manila that the vaccine was “not
recommended” as a response to an outbreak, adding that it was “not cost-effective” with
one dose costing a thousand pesos ($20).

Other south-east Asian countries have also reported an surge in dengue cases this year,
according to the UN’s World Health Organisation.

The organisation said Malaysia had registered 62,421 cases through to 29 June, including
93 deaths, compared with 32,425 cases with 53 deaths for the same period last year.
Vietnam over the same period had 81,132 cases with four deaths reported, compared
with 26,201 cases including six deaths in 2018.

In south Asia, Bangladesh has been facing its worst-ever dengue fever outbreak, putting
a severe strain on the country’s already overwhelmed medical system.

Associated Press contributed to this article

Philippines declares dengue epidemic as deaths surge

6 August 2019

The Philippines has declared a "national dengue epidemic" after at least 622
people lost their lives from the mosquito-borne disease this year.

At least 146,000 cases were recorded from January to 20 July - a 98% increase on the
same period last year - the health department said.

The epidemic was declared so that officials can identify areas in need of emergency
attention.

The infection causes flu-like illness, but occasionally becomes more severe.
The global incidence of dengue has grown dramatically in recent decades,
according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Philippines declared an initial "national dengue alert" in July.

"It is important that a national epidemic be declared in these areas to identify
where a localised response is needed, and to enable the local government units to use
their Quick Response Fund to address the epidemic situation," Health Secretary
Francisco Duque said in a statement.

Western Visayas had the most recorded cases with more than 23,000, with significant
outbreaks also in Calabarzon, the Zamboanga Peninsula and Northern Mindanao.

Seven regions have exceeded epidemic levels for three consecutive weeks.
Philippines gripped by dengue vaccine fears
 Fears over a dengue vaccine led to a big drop in immunisation rates in the Philippines
for preventable diseases, officials warned last year.

Concerns were triggered over Dengvaxia, the world's first vaccine against dengue,
after 14 children died out of more than 800,000 inoculated in 2016-17.

Sanofi, the French developer of the vaccine, and local experts said there was no
evidence linking the 14 deaths to the drug.

Dengue fever affects more than 400 million people each year around the world, most
of them in tropical or sub-tropical zones. Most cases of severe infection are detected
in children.
Symptoms can include a fever, pain behind the eyes and a red rash. They normally
develop between four and 10 days after infection and pass off in about a week.
DOH declares national dengue epidemic
By CNN Philippines Staff
Published Aug 6, 2019 4:00:05 PM
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 6)— The Health Department on Tuesday
declared a “national dengue epidemic” following the rapid spike in dengue cases in
several regions of the country.
At least 146,000 cases, including 622 deaths, have been recorded from January to July
20, according to the department’s latest data. The number is 98 percent higher than the
same period last year.
Western Visayas region registered the most number of dengue cases in the country at
23,330. This was followed by CALABARZON with16,515 cases.
Zamboanga Peninsula listed 12,317 cases, while Northern Mindanao and SOCCKSARGEN
had 11,455 and 11,083 cases, respectively.
Health officials said the epidemic was declared for authorities to identify areas where
localized response would be needed.
Health officials, together with other government agencies and local government units,
said they will conduct a program that would focus on searching and destroying dengue
mosquito breeding sites around the country.
The spike in dengue cases and deaths earlier prompted the Health Department to
declare a “national dengue alert,” the first of its kind in the country, in July.
The province of Samar was latest to declare a state of calamity due to the dengue
outbreak. The provinces of Leyte, Eastern Samar, and Zamboanga Sibugay, as well as
Samal in Davao del Norte have also raised the alert in their respective areas.
Dengue is a viral disease with no known vaccine, but it is preventable through early
detection. Signs and symptoms include severe headache, pain behind the eyes, severe
joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and skin rashes.
READ: Cases vs. former gov’t, health officials to continue despite possible
Dengvaxia return – Palace
CNN Philippines' Alyssa Rola and Crissy Dimatulac contributed to this report.