GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – Health officials in Soccsksargen have sounded alarm bells as the number of dengue cases here has already reached disturbing levels with dozens of deaths reported since January, this year.

The Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) of the Department of Health (DOH) said reports from various localities in the region as of August 24, show a total of 15,224 dengue cases, including 56 deaths.

This  year’s figures is 45% higher than that of 2023’s with a notable increasing trend in all of the areas in the region, said Dr. Dyan Zubelle Parayao, head of RESU-Soccsksargen.

Cotabato province, where health workers saw a noted rise in suspected dengue cases since July and August, accounted for 5,711 cases or about a third of the region’s reported dengue cases.

In their monitoring report as of mid-August, 2024, Cotabato provincial health office chief Dr. Eva Rabaya said among the hardest hit areas are the capital city of Kidapawan with 782 cases, and the towns of Midsayap – 683 cases; Makilala – 419, and Mlang – 364.

In General Santos, where authorities raised a dengue alert in August, there were 1,436 cases with six deaths monitored since January.

Raffy Piamonte, coordinator of the City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (CESU), said the number is lower by 36% compared to the same period in 2023. He, however, said that cases of the mosquito-borne disease were on the rise in the city since January.

An earlier CESU report showed that  the ages of infected individuals range from eight months old to more than 85 years old, and mostly are nine-year-old children. 

Most of the infected come from highly-populated barangays in the city, like Calumpang,  Lagao, and San Isidro.

The increasing number of cases prompted the General Santos CESU to raise a dengue alert in the city and get residents to be actively involved in containing the disease. He said they considered that the most effective way to fight the disease was right in the homes.

In a press briefing in Koronadal City, on Tuesday, September 2, Parayao said at least 11,000 of the listed dengue cases availed of hospital services.

According to the RESU head, the number has already reached an alarming stage, but they must wait for health officials in local government units to declare an outbreak of the disease.

Only LGUs can declare an outbreak based on their own investigation and assessment, she said.

DOH has allotted at least P172 million to help LGUs in their anti-dengue. The money will be used for fogging equipment, insecticides, and larvicides, and to buy dengue rapid test kits.

– Rappler.com