MANILA (Xinhua): The Philippines has tallied 205 deaths due to dengue from Jan. 1 to June 15 this year, as cases started to rise amid the wet season, the country's Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.
The DOH has sounded the alarm, reporting "a slight increase" in the number of cases of the mosquito-borne disease. From Jan. 1 to June 15, a total of 77,867 dengue cases have been recorded across the country, marking a 15 per cent surge compared to the same period last year.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa has issued a call to action, emphasizing that it is not too late to make a difference.
He also urged local governments to take the lead in the crucial task of searching and destroying mosquito breeding grounds.
On May 29, the weather bureau declared the start of the rainy season in the Philippines.
Dengue is endemic in the Philippines. Water-borne infectious diseases, including dengue, usually peak at the start of the rainy season due to fluctuating weather conditions, flooding and accumulation of contaminated water. - Xinhua
