MANILA, Philippines--The incidence of dengue has come down in all regions in the country except in the National Capital Region and in Central Luzon (Region III), according to the Department of Health.

The latest disease surveillance report of the DOH’s National Epidemiology Center showed that from January until Oct. 4, a total of 32,882 cases of dengue had been admitted to various sentinel hospitals of the DOH.

The number was 16.2-percent lower than the 39,225 reported cases nationwide during the same period last year.

The DOH said the number of deaths from the mosquito-borne disease has also gone down.

From the 391 fatalities recorded from January to October last year, the fatalities totaled 310 so far this year.

From January to Oct. 4 this year, dengue cases in Metro Manila went up by 118 percent, or 11,161 cases from 5,111 cases reported during the same period last year.

Dengue cases in Central Luzon increased by 104 percent, or 3,966 cases from 1,938 cases reported during the same period last year. In Metro Manila, the cities of Navotas, Caloocan and Valenzuela reported the highest increases in dengue cases.
Dengue cases in Navotas shot up by 448 percent, from 94 cases last year to 515 this year.

Cases in Caloocan and Valenzuela, meanwhile, increased by 255 and 258 percent, respectively.

The DOH describes dengue hemorrhagic fever as an acute infectious disease that initially manifests as high fever.

It is transmitted by the day-biting mosquito Aedes aegypti which lays eggs in clear and stagnant water like those found in flower vases, cans, rain barrels and old rubber tires. The adult mosquitoes rest in dark places of the house.

The symptoms of dengue are high and continuous fever lasting for two to seven days, nausea or vomiting, abdominal pain, body weakness, bleeding tendencies from nose and gums and persistent red spots on the face, extremities and trunk.