Eight month old dengue patient, Mark Rhenz Sawa-an is carried by his mother at the adult dengue ward at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, July 16, 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA (UPDATE) — The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said it saw a "concerning rise in the number of Dengue cases" in at least 9 localities in the Philippines.

Public urged to maintain hygiene as W.I.L.D. cases rise

The rising dengue cases was noted in 9 local government units (LGUs) spread out across National Capital Region, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon. 

The DOH only identified Quezon City as one of the 9 LGUs with potential dengue outbreak since the city itself already made the declaration over the weekend.

"The thing is, we cannot announce the names of LGUs [because] the Notifiable Diseases Act empowers and gives the duty [of reporting] to our LGUs... We’re hoping that the 8 others, they can make a public declaration, they can do it quietly, but the response has to come from LGUs," DOH spokesman Albert Domingo told ANC's Dateline.

On Saturday, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte declared a dengue outbreak in the Philippines’ largest city after it listed 10 deaths and over 1,700 cases of the mosquito-borne disease in the first two months of 2025.

Quezon City dengue outbreak: 10 deaths, over 1,700 cases in 2 months

"We are very happy that she has taken responsibility and is acting proactively responding to the outbreak. That is how it should be by law," Domingo said. 

OUTBREAK 'HAPPENING SO EARLY'

Domingo said that as of February 1, the DOH has recorded 28,234 dengue cases, 40 percent higher compared to the same period last year.

"This is 40 percent higher compared to last year. But what is more concerning to the DOH is why is it happening this early in the year?" Domingo said.

Faster, stronger, more: Expert blames climate change for increase in dengue mosquitoes

Traditionally, dengue reports "do not get aired around June or July when the rainy season comes in" since the country should still be "dry" during this period, according to the Health official.

However, climate change "coupled by issues on how we manage our communities and infrastructure" may have contributed to the earlier outbreak. 

"We need to keep on reminding our communities that the clean up drive is not seasonal, it has to happen year round," Domingo said. 

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