(Eagle News)–The Department of Health on Tuesday, Aug. 6, declared a national dengue epidemic due to what it said was the increase in dengue cases in the country.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the announcement in a press conference, also noting the 622 deaths from dengue that have been recorded so far.
According to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, it is up to each local government unit if it will declare a state of calamity in their areas.
Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña said the department would roll out test kits nationwide for “confirming the presence of dengue in a patient’s blood.”
Earlier, the DOH said some 146,000 dengue cases were recorded by the end of July.
It said that seven regions had reached the epidemic threshold–Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Northern Mindanao–while four–Ilocos region, Central Visayas, and BARMM–were being monitored.
Last month, Duque raised the national dengue alert level.
