(CNN) A national dengue epidemic has been declared in the Philippines, where 622 people have died of the mosquito-borne disease since January and millions more are at risk.

From the start of the year to July 20, there have been more than 146,000 cases recorded -- a 98% increase from the same time period last year, according to the country's Department of Health.

The Philippines had declared a national dengue alert just last month after reporting more than 450 deaths -- but officials had said the dengue was "localized," according to CNN affiliate CNN Philippines

With almost two hundred additional deaths in the past month, the crisis has now escalated to a national epidemic.

The epidemic was declared in order to enable government agencies to better identify at risk areas, said a health ministry statement.

"It is important that a national epidemic be declared in these areas to identify where a localized response is needed, and to enable the local government units to use their Quick Response Fund to address the epidemic situation," said Health Secretary Francisco Duque in the statement.

Several other regions like Central Visayas and Ilocos are at high risk with thousands of cases reported, though not yet past the epidemic threshold.

"As part of our data, is 5,100 cases per week average," said Duque at a press conference about the epidemic on Wednesday. "This is really staggering. This is going to be a record number."

Since July, health officials have worked to combat the spread of the viral infection. They deployed hundreds of doctors and nurses to provincial and district hospitals, and provided emergency funding to affected regions, among other measures, according to the Department of Health

The Philippines became the first country in Asia to approve the use of the Dengvaxia vaccine, the world's first and only licensed dengue vaccine made by French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pateur, in 2016.

The drug was distributed to more than 800,000 students as part of school-based government immunization program, but was suspended in 2017 after clinical trial data showed that it could have unintended consequences in non-infected patients.

Despite the epidemic, the government has no immediate plans to reintroduce the vaccine to the public, Mark Timbal, spokesperson for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council told CNN Wednesday.

Timbal said the adverse effects of Dengvaxia were still being investigated by the government and in the meantime, efforts would focus on the removal or destruction of mosquito breeding sites, in collaboration with schools, communities, and local governments.

Dengue cases in the Philippines have historically surged every three to four years, and the sharp increase this year is in line with expectations after a 2016 spike, Duque said last month. These spikes aren't isolated to just the Philippines, either -- last week , more than 1,000 people in Bangladesh were diagnosed with dengue in a 24-hour period, and hospitals are now overflowing with patients. </s> DENGUE WARD: A ward at Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital in Borongan City is full of dengue patients and their families. The provincial board of Eastern Samar recently declared the province under a state of calamity due to the rising number of dengue cases. Image Credit: PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY

MANILA, Philippines — Dengue-related deaths have gone up to 622 from January to July this year in the Philippines, prompting the Department of Health (DOH) to declare a national dengue epidemic.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III cited 622 deaths and 146,062 cases recorded from January to July 20 this year, — a 98 per cent spike compared to the number of cases recorded in the same period last year.

Duque said the agency made the declaration to improve the response to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special "Quick Response Fund".

622 number of deaths from dengue in the Philippines from January to July 20, 2019

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems, hemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases. While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person's fluid levels is seen as critical.

The Department of Health said that starting Tuesday, it was conducting a campaign to focus on finding and destroying mosquito breeding sites, which is a primary means of containing dengue.

Other government agencies, local government units, schools, offices and communities will join in the effort, it said.

Other Southeast Asian countries have also reported an surge in dengue cases this year, according to the U.N.'s World Health Organization.

Dengue Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems, hemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases.



While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person's fluid levels is seen as critical.

The organization said Malaysia had registered 62,421 cases through June 29, including 93 deaths, compared to 32,425 cases with 53 deaths for the same period last year.

93 number of dengue-related deaths from 62,421 cases in Malaysia, recorded from January to June this year

Vietnam over the same period had 81,132 cases with four deaths reported, compared to 26,201 cases including six deaths in 2018.

4 number of dengue-related deaths from 81,132 cases in Vietnam, recorded from January to June </s> This post was originally published on this site

WORLD NEWS Dengue epidemic declared in Philippines, over 600 dead and nearly 150,000 cases this year https://linewsradio.com/dengue-epidemic-declared-in-philippines-over-600-dead-and-nearly-150000-cases-this-year/ http://abcnewsradioonline.com/world-news/rss.xml

LoveSilhouette/iStock(NEW YORK) — A dengue epidemic has been declared in the Philippines in the wake of more than 600 deaths and over 146,000 cases of the disease having been recorded in 2019 alone – a 98 percent increase from the previous year.

Dengue – one of the fastest-spreading mosquito-borne diseases in the world – has increased 30-fold in the past 50 years, according to information from the World Health Organization released in June.

“It is important that a national epidemic be declared in these areas to identify where a localized response is needed, and to enable the local government units to use their Quick Response Fund to address the epidemic situation” said Philippines Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III.

Several other countries in the Western Pacific region such as Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam have been dealing with an increase in dengue cases and deaths this year, according to the WHO.

The Philippines, however — where there have been 622 deaths and 146,062 cases on record — has surpassed those other countries.

According to the most recent data there, there were 10,502 new cases in the week of July 14 to 20, a 71 percent increase from the same week in 2018.

“Starting today, the Department of Health together with other government agencies … schools, offices, and communities will … focus on search and destroy of mosquito breeding sites,” the country’s department of health said in a statement announcing the epidemic. “This is one of the primary interventions to prevent and control dengue.”

The WHO says that it is imperative to act early to save lives.

“There is no specific treatment for dengue but early detection, improved clinical management and access to proper medical care for severe dengue can reduce fatality rates”, the organizations said in a statement.

“WHO is working closely with the Philippines and other countries across the region to address dengue,” said Olivia Law Davies, the organization’s regional communications manager. “WHO doesn’t designate an outbreak as being at a national level.”

It was only at the end last month when Duque, the Philippines’ health secretary, and the Department of Health released a statement sounding hopeful that they could contain the epidemic.

“There is an outpouring of support from our health partners, especially the Philippine Red Cross, other government agencies, and the members of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council. We are extremely grateful for their urgent response … and with our concerted efforts we hope to be able to quell this dengue outbreak.”

Dr. Takeshi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, said the biggest concern is the rate of people dying, “especially children.”

“This is a signal that we need to work with countries to strengthen care as well as prevention,” Kasai said. </s> FILE – In this April 30, 2019 file photo, Philippine Health Secretary Dr. Francisco Duque III displays a graph showing the decline of the measles outbreak in the country during a press conference during World Immunization Week 2019 in Manila, Philippines. The Philippines’ Department of Health has declared the country’s massive outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic on Tuesday Aug. 6, 2019. An announcement from the agency says Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the declaration in order to improve responses to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special Quick Response Fund. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines’ Department of Health on Tuesday declared the country’s outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic.

The agency said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the declaration to improve the response to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special Quick Response Fund.

It said the Philippines recorded 146,062 cases of dengue from January through July 20 this year, 98% more than the same period in 2018. It said the outbreak caused 622 deaths.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems, hemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases. While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person’s fluid levels is seen as critical.

The Department of Health said that starting Tuesday, it was conducting a campaign to focus on finding and destroying mosquito breeding sites, which is a primary means of containing dengue. Other government agencies, local government units, schools, offices and communities will join in the effort, it said.

Other Southeast Asian countries have also reported an upsurge in dengue cases this year, according to the U.N.’s World Health Organization. The organization said Malaysia had registered 62,421 cases through June 29, including 93 deaths, compared to 32,425 cases with 53 deaths for the same period last year. Vietnam over the same period had 81,132 cases with four deaths reported, compared to 26,201 cases including six deaths in 2018.

In South Asia, Bangladesh has been facing its worst-ever dengue fever outbreak, putting a severe strain on the country’s already overwhelmed medical system. </s> – The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) has declared the country’s outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic in the wake of 146,062 cases recorded from January to July 20 this year.The declaration was made by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on August 6, shortly after a plenary meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).Duque said the reported cases are 98 percent higher than the same period last year. Of the cases, 622 were confirmed death.Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, as NDRRMC chair, issued a memorandum to all disaster response units across the country for the strict implementation of the national dengue epidemic declaration.According to a DOH report, Western Visayas has the biggest number of cases at 23,330. Seven out of the 17 regions have exceeded the epidemic threshold of dengue for the past three consecutive weeks.Duque said the total number of cases nationwide for a week alone, from July 14 to 20, is at 10,502, or 71 percent higher compared to the same period in 2018.The Philippines has stood firm on its ban on the world’s first and only licensed dengue vaccine Dengvaxia made by French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur, following the deaths of dozens of children who were among the more than 700,000 people given shots in 2016 and 2017 in a government immunisation campaign.In 2016, the country became the first in Asia to approve the use of Dengvaxia, but a year later, the vaccine was banned after Sanofi Pasteur announced that in rare cases, vaccinating people with no prior history of dengue infection could lead them to develop a more severe form of the disease.–VNA </s> (MANILA, Philippines) — The Philippines’ Department of Health on Tuesday declared the country’s outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic.

The agency said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the declaration to improve the response to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special Quick Response Fund.

It said the Philippines recorded 146,062 cases of dengue from January through July 20 this year, 98% more than the same period in 2018. It said the outbreak caused 622 deaths.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems, hemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases. While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person’s fluid levels is seen as critical.

The Department of Health said that starting Tuesday, it was conducting a campaign to focus on finding and destroying mosquito breeding sites, which is a primary means of containing dengue. Other government agencies, local government units, schools, offices and communities will join in the effort, it said.

Other Southeast Asian countries have also reported an upsurge in dengue cases this year, according to the U.N.’s World Health Organization. The organization said Malaysia had registered 62,421 cases through June 29, including 93 deaths, compared to 32,425 cases with 53 deaths for the same period last year. Vietnam over the same period had 81,132 cases with four deaths reported, compared to 26,201 cases including six deaths in 2018.

In South Asia, Bangladesh has been facing its worst-ever dengue fever outbreak, putting a severe strain on the country’s already overwhelmed medical system. </s> Manila: The Philippines' Department of Health has declared the country's outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic.

The agency said Health Secretary Francisco Duque made the declaration to improve the response to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special Quick Response Fund.

It said the country recorded 146,062 cases of dengue from January through July 20 this year, 98 per cent more than the same period in 2018. It said the outbreak caused 622 deaths.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems. A severe strain can cause haemorrhaging and organ failure. While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person's fluid levels is seen as critical. </s> The Philippine government has declared the country’s outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic, following the deaths of at least 622 patients since January.

The country’s health department announced late on Tuesday that Francisco Duque III, the health secretary, made the declaration to improve the response to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special Quick Response Fund.

It said the Philippines recorded 146,062 cases of dengue from January through July 20 this year, 98% more than the same period in 2018. That is roughly 5,036 cases every week.

Among the worst-hit areas are central Philippines as well as some regions in the northern island of Luzon and the southern island of Mindanao.

Duque said a campaign is being launched focusing on the destruction of mosquito breeding sites.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems, haemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases.

While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person’s fluid levels is seen as critical.

The department of health said that starting on Tuesday, it was conducting a campaign to focus on finding and destroying mosquito breeding sites, which is a primary means of containing dengue.

Other government agencies, local government units, schools, offices and communities will join in the effort, it said.

In 2017, the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte banned the dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, after its French manufacturer reported that it could cause severe effects on patients not previously exposed to the virus.

Some critics have blamed the decision for the current outbreak, but Duque, the health secretary, said that the World Health Organization did not recommend the use of the vaccine as an outbreak response.

Other Southeast Asian countries have also reported an upsurge in dengue cases this year, according to the UN’s WHO.

The organisation said Malaysia had registered 62,421 cases through June 29, including 93 deaths, compared to 32,425 cases with 53 deaths for the same period last year.

Vietnam over the same period had 81,132 cases with four deaths reported, compared to 26,201 cases including six deaths in 2018.

In South Asia, Bangladesh has been facing its worst-ever dengue fever outbreak, putting a severe strain on the country’s already overwhelmed medical system.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android. </s> MANILA: The Philippines will prepare military hospitals and clinics for a possible surge in dengue patients after a spike in the number of cases this year, said the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday (Jul 17).

The DOH on Monday declared a national dengue alert for the first time.

A total of 106,630 dengue cases have been reported from Jan 1 to Jun 29 - 85 per cent more than the number of cases in the same period in 2018.

About 450 people have died from dengue this year, Philippine media reported.

READ: More mosquitoes or mutating virus? Experts have different views on dengue spike



According to Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, dengue cases spike every three to four years. The last peak was in 2016, he added.



Regions that have exceeded the epidemic threshold include Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao.



READ: The Big Read: As temperatures and urbanisation increase, fight against dengue will only get tougher



A meeting was convened by the DOH on Wednesday to discuss an action plan among various agencies.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police will help the DOH in the mobilisation of medical teams and logistics.

The Philippine National Red Cross will boost medical teams to affected area and provide emergency transport, while the Department of Education will enhance dengue awareness and install insecticide-treated screens in schools.
The Department of Health of the Philippines declares a national dengue epidemic in the country, as cases spike to 622 deaths.