Philippines: DOH warns about possible dengue outbreak this year

The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) said the country should prepare for a potential dengue outbreak this year. DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo remarked that the Philippines typically see dengue spikes every 2-3 years. The last was between 2022 and 2024, while a previous one in 2019 resulted in 80,000 cases in just a month. The most critical period is mid-summer when the local rainy season creates the breeding conditions for mosquitoes carrying the disease.
In the first two and a half months of 2025, the Philippines have already reported over 76,000 dengue cases, a 78% increase compared to the same period of 2024. According to Domingo, the highest number of cases were tallied in Calabarzon, Metro Manila, and Central Luzon. He also observed that dengue has four serotypes and that infection with one provides immunity only for that serotype. Dengue symptoms usually start 4 to 10 days after infection, with high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pains, nausea, and vomiting. In severe cases, the disease can be fatal. Prevention requires eliminating mosquito breeding grounds. This means emptying and cleaning domestic water containers regularly and applying insecticides on outdoor containers.