Health officials blame climate change for rise in dengue cases

BAGUIO CITY – The Center for Health Development here said climate change, particularly unpredictable weather patterns, was a major factor in the sudden surge of dengue fever cases in the Cordillera and Ilocos regions during the rainy season.

For the first five-and-a-half months this year, the CHD-Cordillera recorded a 10 percent rise in dengue fever cases in the region while the CHD Region 1 noted 15 percent compared to same period last year.

Because of the expected increase in the dreaded diseases considering it is one of the identified rainy day diseases, Dr. Myrna Cabotaje, CHD-Cordillera regional director, said all health units in the region have been directed to be on alert to conduct a massive information and education campaign in the grassroots level to guide the people on how to prevent the outbreak of the illness.

According to Cabotaje, the changing weather patterns has allowed dengue-carrying mosquitoes to be resistant to the prevailing weather condition, thus, they still breed on clear and stagnant water which are stored in the surroundings of the people.

In the Cordillera, the identified provinces on the watchlist because of the rise in its recorded cases include Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Apayao while the provinces of La Union and Ilocos Sur are still under study whether or not to be included in the list in the case of the Ilocos Region.

The health department tasked local governments to help thwart increase in dengue cases in order to avoid death, especially young children and senior citizens, considering most parts of the region have been included as potential dengue hot spots.

In order to prevent the dengue-carrying and day-biting mosquitoes from rapidly multiplying, the CHD advised people to keep their surroundings clean so that the illness will not be spread to the neighborhood and eventually in the whole community.

Aside from climate change, Cabotaje said rising population could also be contributory to increasing dengue cases.

But she said dengue fever does not have cyclical trend where cases suddenly surge every three to five years since the same is year-round disease due to the effects of climate change.

The CHD has already recorded five dengue-related deaths in the region with two each coming from Mountain Province and Ifugao while one was recorded in Baguio City.

All of those who died due to dengue were minors who experienced flu-like symptoms but their situation suddenly reached the advanced stages even prior to being diagnosed.

Health authorities reminded people suffering from flu-like symptoms to immediately seek medical attention at the nearest health facility for them to get proper medication before their illness gets worst. – Dexter A. See