Govt declares national dengue epidemic

The government declared a national dengue epidemic after 622 people died as dengue infection surged 98 percent to 146,062 cases as of July 20 this year from the same period in 2018.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the declaration following a full council meeting at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

"It is important that a national epidemic be declared to identify if a localized response is needed, and to enable the local government units to use their Quick Response Fund to address the epidemic situation," Duque said.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and rash. It can also result in breathing problems, hemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases.

The Department of Health's campaign focuses on finding and destroying mosquito breeding sites, which is a primary means of containing dengue.

Data from the World Health Organization show that dengue infects 390 million people in more than 120 countries annually, resulting in more than 25,000 deaths.

Despite the dengue epidemic, the government is cool to the proposal that it resume the Dengvaxia mass immunization.

The Philippines became the first country to use Dengvaxia in mass immunization in 2016, but Sanofi, the maker of the vaccine, warned a year later that it could worsen symptoms for people not previously infected by the dengue virus.