THE number of dengue cases continues to be on an upswing after the Department of Health (DOH) reported nearly 56,000 cases in just three months.

Based on the latest Dengue Surveillance Report, the DOH said there are already 55,976 cases reported from January 1 to March 30. This is higher than the 31,247 dengue cases recorded during the same period last year.

“It really seems were seeing a lot of cases this year. It’s the natural cycle. Two years with low cases, one year with high cases. It looks like this is that year,” said DOH Undersecretary Eric Domingo.

The number of deaths also went up from 168 last year to 227 this year.

Central Visayas was found to have the most number of cases with 6,189, followed by Calabarzon with 5,366, National Capital Region with 5,339, and Caraga with 5,099.

Deaths caused by dengue were also highest in Central Visayas with 37, followed by Western Visayas with 27, Cagayan Valley with 22, and Calabarzon with 20.

The most affected age group are the five to nine years old, with 14,137 cases (25 percent).

Males were found be majority of the victims with 29,626 cases (53 percent).

Meanwhile, a total of 99 barangays scattered across 54 cities and municipalities in the country have been identified as dengue “hotspots.”

Provinces found to have dengue “hotspots” are Isabela, Aurora, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol, Samar, Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur.

In Metro Manila, found to have dengue hotspots are the cities of Parañaque, Quezon, Taguig, and Valenzuela.

Dengue hotspots are defined as areas where there is clustering of cases in increasing number for two consecutive weeks. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)