Tawa-tawa, guava, siling labuyo don't cure dengue — DOH official

Arra Perez

ABS-CBN News

<p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">MANILA — Plants like tawa-tawa, guava and siling labuyo have yet to be proven to cure dengue, an official from the Department of Health (DOH) emphasized on Sunday.<br/><br/>According to Dr. Kim Patrick Tejano, Medical Officer IV of the DOH-Disease for Elimination and Vector-borne Diseases, there is no specific treatment for dengue to date.<br/><br/>He said only supportive treatment is available, where symptoms are managed until the patient gets better.<br/><br/>&quot;Our experts on dengue and other infectious diseases suggest against the using tawa-tawa and bayabas for dengue patients kasi there are no proven effects for the improvement or for the resolution ng mga sintomas ng dengue... Kapag may sintomas tayo ng dengue, magpakonsulta [sa doktor],&quot; he told the media at the health literacy conference in Subic, Olongapo City. </p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;min-height:15px"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">(Our experts suggest against using tawa-tawa and guava for dengue patients, because there is no proof that they help with dengue symptoms. If we have dengue symptoms, we should see a doctor.)<br/><br/>“[T]here are no proven effects yet on dengue,&quot; he said of supposed plant-based cures.<br/><br/>Tejano shared studies are ongoing to find an effective cure for the disease but that it is difficult to develop anti-virals, especially for dengue.<br/><br/>&quot;[L]ast year po, noon sa isang convention ng dengue, meron tayong mga probable na and ongoing clinical trial on anti-virals. And hopefully, as soon as possible, magkaroon ng tayo ng definitive treatment para masagip, masugpo agad iyong virus mismo at hindi lang tayo panay supportive treatment,&quot; he added.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">(Last year, there were some probable anti-virals undergoing clinical trial. Hopefully, we get a definitive treatment against the virus itself, and not just supportive treatment.)<br/><br/>He added there are currently no vaccines against dengue that have been registered with the Food and Drug Administration.<br/><br/>According to the World Health Organization (WHO), &quot;most people with dengue have mild or no symptoms and will get better in 1–2 weeks. Rarely, dengue can be severe and lead to death.&quot;<br/><br/>&quot;If symptoms occur, they usually begin 4–10 days after infection and last for 2–7 days,&quot; it added.<br/><br/>The WHO lists symptoms as follows: high fever (40°C/104°F), severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands, and rash.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/12/dengue-cases-expected-to-surge-during-rainy-season-warns-doh-1611">READ: Dengue cases expected to surge during rainy season, warns DOH<br/></a><br/><strong>DENGUE PREVENTION<br/></strong><br/>Tejano said, &quot;historically&quot;, dengue cases increase during the rainy season, and they are monitoring highly urbanized areas like NCR, Regions 3 and 4A.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">He said urbanized areas have more potential breeding sites for mosquitoes that carry dengue and more people who can get infected.<br/><br/>&quot;Mayroon na tayong mga established policies, like establishing dengue fast lanes, mga hospitals and other health facilities, making sure na pag may increase of cases for the past two consecutive weeks, they do fogging and spraying. And making sure lang din po that available iyong ating mga rapid diagnostic test sa ating mga primary health facilities,&quot; he added.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">(We also have established policies like dengue fast lanes, and fogging and spraying as well as making sure rapid diagnostic tests are available at primary health facilities.)<br/><br/>The official said schools are also enforcing measures against the disease like insecticide-treated screens to protect students from mosquitoes.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><strong>HOW TO KEEP DENGUE AWAY<br/></strong><br/>Tejano shared other preventive measures on dengue, like wearing light-colored clothing and long sleeves, since aedes mosquitoes, which causes dengue, are &quot;attracted to dark clothing&quot;.<br/><br/>Applying mosquito repellent lotions and sprays also helps.<br/><br/>Data from the Health department show seven regions showed case increases in the recent three to four weeks, including Cordillera, Ilocos, Zamboanga Peninsula, Cagayan Valley, Caraga, MiMaRoPa, and Northern Mindanao.<br/><br/>&quot;Nationwide data as of June 1, 2024 shows that the number of Dengue cases in the recent 3-4 weeks (5,368) are almost the same as those reported two weeks earlier (5,305). The number of cases from the most recent 1-2 weeks (3,793) may be lower, but the DOH is very cautious in interpreting this,&quot; it said in a press release.<br/><br/>The DOH said it is &quot;closely monitoring the number of new Dengue cases per week as the previously declining trend is now starting to plateau&quot;.<br/><br/>&quot;This could be the start of a rise in cases nationwide - if we will not search and destroy &#x27;mosquito water&#x27; - stagnant water in any areas or containers that may breed Dengue mosquitoes,&quot; the agency explained.<br/><br/>From January 1 to June 1, 2024, the DOH has recorded 70,498 dengue cases, with 197 deaths.<br/><br/>Communities are asked to employ the &quot;4S strategy&quot; to combat dengue, which stands for search and destroy, secure self protection, seek early consultation, and support fogging and spraying.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NOU-9Ab8VIE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div>

<p>Tejano shared studies are ongoing to find an effective cure for the disease but that it is difficult to develop anti-virals, especially for dengue.</p>

Tejano shared studies are ongoing to find an effective cure for the disease but that it is difficult to develop anti-virals, especially for dengue.

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Tawa-tawa, guava, siling labuyo don't cure dengue — DOH official

Tawa-tawa, guava, siling labuyo don't cure dengue — DOH official

Arra Perez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 16, 2024 01:34 PM PHT

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Dengue

Department of Health

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