Dengue cases in Cebu City rise by 123%

DESPITE a 123 percent increase in dengue cases in Cebu City, Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia assured the public that there is no need to declare a public health emergency at this time.

As of February 10, 2025, the city recorded 223 dengue cases, a sharp rise from the 100 cases during the same period lasty year. However, Garcia pointed out that while the numbers are high, they are still lower than the peak months of 2024, when cases reached 496 in November and 328 in December.

“If you compare it to August, September, October, November, and December last year, our dengue cases have actually gone down. That’s why I don’t see any reason to call for a public health emergency,” Garcia said in a press conference on Monday, March 10, 2025, at City Hall.

A public health emergency would allow the city to access calamity funds to combat the outbreak.

In 2024, the month of August recorded 790 cases, 1065 cases in September, and 971 cases in October.

In January 2025, cases recorded were 206, a 121.50 percent increase from last year’s 93 in the same period.

Although Garcia noted the high cases recorded as of February, he said that the city has already done interventions.

Interventions

Garcia said that one of their interventions include environmental management, such as disposing water storage containers and preventing mosquito breeding grounds.

The public is urged to wear long-sleeved clothing, use mosquito repellents, bed nets, and window screens.

In case someone shows signs and symptoms of dengue fever, medical attention should be sought. Severe symptoms include severe abdominal pain, bleeding gums or nose, or blood presence in vomit or stool.

The public is also urged to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and get as much rest as possible.

Garcia said that they had coordinated with the barangay officials in activating the dengue teams. / JPS