Dengue cases down amid strong El Niño

IMAGE Daniella Marie Agacer

Dengue cases have been declining in the past weeks amid the “strong” El Niño phenomenon prevailing in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Thursday.

The DOH observed a 16-percent decrease in cases, with 7,274 recorded from Dec. 17 to 31, down from 8,629 between Dec. 3 and 16. But since the start of the year, the figure has decreased to 5,572, a 23 percent decrease, from Jan. 1 to 13.

READ: DA’s first El Niño bulletin for 2024 shows P700K agri losses

During these two weeks, a total of 14 dengue deaths were also reported, for a case fatality rate (CFR) of 0.25 percent, which was still lower than the average CFR of 0.34 percent last year.

Despite the decline in the national average, the reported dengue cases in Soccsksargen and Caraga regions, both in Mindanao, have increased in the past four weeks.

According to the DOH, Soccsksargen recorded a 2 percent increase from Jan. 1 to 13, with 428 cases compared to the 418 reported two weeks earlier.

On the other hand, dengue cases in the Caraga region shot up by 13 percent, with 375 cases from Dec. 3 to 16, further increasing to 423 from Dec. 17 to 31.

Dengue outbreaks usually occur in the rainy season from May to November because of stagnant waters—the perfect breeding ground for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the primary vector transmitting the dengue virus.