To further prevent the uptick in dengue cases in Quezon City, Mayor Joy Belmonte called on residents to get tested for dengue if they are experiencing any symptom.

“We are seeing a rise in cases in our city, not just of COVID but also of dengue so we are encouraging our residents to get tested so they can seek consultation and start treatment early,” Mayor Belmonte said.

City Health Department Officer-in-Charge Dr. Esperanza Arias said residents who experience a sudden onset of fever of 2 to 5 days should go to the nearest health center to seek consultation. Arias also noted that some COVID-19 symptoms are similar to dengue, hence the need to get tested for both.

According to the Department of Health, the period of the drop in bodily temperature between 3-6 days of infection marks the transition of the disease from mild to more serious categories. Symptoms of dengue include sudden onset of fever of 2 to 7 days, plus two of the following: headache, body weakness, joint and muscle pains, pain behind the eyes, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and skin rashes.

The DOH further noted that it is important to seek early consultation between 1-3 days of fever to immediately recognize the disease, which may require the patient to increase fluid intake, especially Oral Rehydration Solution that is proven to be life-saving for dengue patients.

The city government has been implementing ‘search and destroy’ operations such as identifying breeding places and clean-up drives, covering water receptacles such as buckets, pails and even plants with axles that can also be breeding places for mosquitos.

Residents are also being oriented on the 4S’s. These stand for Search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites, secure Self-protection measures like wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts and daily use of mosquito repellent, Seek early consultation, and Support fogging/spraying only in hotspot areas where increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an impending outbreak.

From January to July 28, 2022 the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit recorded a total of 1,280 dengue cases or a 129.80% increase compared to the same period last year and 7 recorded deaths.

“Prevention is better than cure. We cannot address this alone and we highly encourage our residents to take part in helping the community, in their own way, to prevent the rising cases of dengue. Let us help our community so you can also protect your own family,” the mayor said.

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