CLOSE to 118,000 dengue cases have already been recorded across the Philippines, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
In a radio interview, DOH Undersecretary Gloria Balboa said a total of 117,952 dengue cases have been reported from January to August 2026.
"This is lower by 41 percent compared to 201,533 last year," Balboa said. "The number is lower this year."
However, the health official said they are expecting dengue cases to spike in the coming weeks.
Balboa said they are expecting dengue cases to spike due to the presence of stagnant water, which serve as mosquito-breeding sites.
"There is the issue of dengue, as cases inevitably rise during the rainy season," said Balboa.
"Due to continuous rainfall, water can accumulate in buckets, drums, flowerpots, gutters, canals, tires, cans, jars, and bottles. These are places where mosquitoes can lay their eggs and mosquito larvae can multiply," she added.
Dengue is an acute viral infection caused by the bite of the aedes aegypti mosquito.
Its symptoms include high fever, joint and muscle pain and pain behind the eyes, weakness, skin rashes, nosebleeding when fever starts to subside, abdominal pain, vomiting of coffee-colored matter, dark-colored stools, and difficulty of breathing.
The DOH advised the public to get protected against dengue by wearing clothing that covers the skin, using mosquito repellent, and avoiding areas with many mosquitoes.
It also urged communities to clean their surroundings, remove accumulated water and practice tip over, shake, dry, and cover in a bid to prevent the proliferation of mosquitoes inside and around the house. (Anton Banal/VoxPop Philippines)
