Barangay officials, Estero Rangers, and residents of Mandaluyong conduct a “Sabado Linis Day” on February 22, 2025, to clear drainages of trash and stagnant water as part of their continuing effort to rid their community of dengue-carrying mosquitoes. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Local governments are encouraged to be proactive and take part in the Department of Health's campaign Alas Kwatro Kontra Mosquito (four o ‘clock habit against mosquitoes), a simultaneous clean up drive in the hopes of eliminating potential breeding sites of the dengue-carrying insects. 

The campaign comes more than a week after Quezon City declared a dengue outbreak after recording over a 200 percent increase in dengue infections from January to February compared to the same period last year. 

At the campaign's launch on Monday, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte bared that based on latest data, the city has logged almost 2,400 cases of dengue. Seventy-six out of the 142 barangays are said to have reached figures beyond either alert or epidemic thresholds. 

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"Tunay na nakakaalarma ang kasalukuyang mga datos. Nakalulungkot na umabot na sa labing-isa (11) ang nasawi, kabilang ang isang apat na taong gulang na batang babae na binawian ng buhay," she said. 

Fortunately, the local chief executive says there are observations of a slowing trajectory due to the rapid rise in terms of awareness and better health seeking behavior among residents.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa says while the DOH is concentrated on three regions contributing most to the nation's cumulative figures (Calabarazon, NCR and Central Luzon), it still wants all regions throughout the country to intensify their efforts in making sure mosquitoes have no breeding sites in communities. 

"Maulan na rin kasi sa iba pang lugar sa pilipinas. so ineexpect ko kung hindi tayo maglilinis ng matutubig at pinamumugaran ng lamok, baka doon naman dumami ang dengue," Herbosa said. 

While dengue is endemic to the Philippines, the spike in cases usually happens during the latter half of the year or rainy season. But experts have attributed the early rise in infections to climate change and the La Niña phenomenon which has brought constant, sometimes even heavy, rains towards the end of 2024 and the first two months of 2025. 

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The health department has repeatedly called on communities to employ the 5S strategy to ward off the possibility of more infections of the vector-borne disease. 

According to the World Health Organization, vector control is still the main means for controlling the spread of dengue. 

"Control of the Ae. Aegypti is not straightforward as breeding sites may be difficult to find and access, and insecticide resistance is widespread," it said in a 2024 position paper. 

The health chief says what the public should be most wary of is getting a second infection of dengue because of concerns of developing a severe form of the disease. 

"Yun yun maaring magdulot ng hemorrhagic shock. Pag nagkaroon ka na ng unang impeksyon, yung pangalawa at pangatlo ang maaring makamatay sayo," Herbosa said. 

Health experts continue to advise the public to seek early consultation should they experience any one of the following: fever, abdominal pain, vomiting or bleeding either through the nose or gums.

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