Know dengue symptoms, DOH advises

With dengue cases on the rise, the Department of Health (DOH) is urging the public to know the symptoms of the disease, especially during the critical period when the patient's fever starts to go down.

Dr. Eric Tayag, Chief of the DOH National Epidemiology Center, said on Unang Balita on Friday that dengue symptoms include:

High fever Rashes Vomiting Stomach pains Nosebleeding Low platelet count Difficulty in breathing

Tayag said patients who show these symptoms should immediately be brought to the hospital.

"Kapag naobserbahan ang mga ito, ibalik kaagad sa ospital. Ito yung critical period, yung dalawang araw na bumababa ang lagnat (When these are observed, the patient should be brought to the hospital. This is the critical period— the two days when the fever starts to go down)," said Tayag.

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In an earlier report, Health Secretary Enrique Ona explained that while dengue is a year-round disease, more dengue cases are recorded on rainy days when there also more breeding sites for the dengue-carrying "Aedes aegypti" mosquitoes.

Ona urged the public to get rid of possible breeding sites for mosquitoes such as discarded tires and tin cans which can become filled with stagnant water if left outdoors.

Water in flower vases should also be regularly replaced. Roof gutters should always be checked for any accumulation of stagnant water.

Mosquito nets and protective clothing can also be used to prevent mosquito bites.

Meanwhile, Tayag said, there are more dengue cases this year compared to last year.

Tayag said there are dengue cases all over the country. "Katunayan, mula January 1 hanggang July 31, 328 na ang naitalang namatay. 40,648 ang kaso sa bansa (As a matter of fact, from January 1 to July 31 [this year] 328 persons have died. There are 40,648 dengue cases in the country)," said Tayag.

The number of dengue cases this year is almost 50% higher compared to the same period last year, when 27,473 cases were recorded, the DOH said in a report.

Tayag said, aside from dengue, the public should also watch out for influenza this rainy season. He advises those who have not yet received vaccinations to do so. – VVP, GMANews.TV