THE Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7) has warned of the rising incidence of various diseases this summer, ranging from infectious to non-communicable conditions, as dengue cases and other illnesses continue to increase across the region.
DOH 7 said the rising cases of diseases are divided into two categories — infectious and non-communicable diseases — noting that heat and other seasonal factors are significantly contributing to the increase.
Among the infectious diseases that continue to rise is dengue. From January to the second week of May 2026, Central Visayas recorded 2,425 dengue cases with 18 deaths, indicating an 80 percent increase in deaths compared to the same period last year.
According to Dr. Ronald Jarvik A. Buscato, head of the DOH 7 Communicable Diseases Section, the region also recorded a large number of rabies exposure cases, with around 11,000 bite cases documented in the first quarter of the year alone across Central Visayas.
Other common infectious illnesses currently include sore eyes (conjunctivitis) and chickenpox, which mostly affect school-aged children.
On non-communicable diseases, DOH 7 expects an increase in heat stroke and heat exhaustion cases due to the high heat index during the summer season.
Buscato also warned of possible complications among individuals with lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, which may worsen due to extreme heat.
He said one of the major reasons for the increase in dengue transmission during summer is the unstable water supply, which forces households to store water.
Water containers that are not properly covered or maintained can become mosquito breeding sites. Even small containers such as flower pots and vases can serve as breeding grounds if not regularly cleaned.
DOH 7 also observed a shift in the demographics of dengue cases, with more infections now affecting individuals in early to middle adulthood compared to previous years when most cases involved school-aged children.
Buscato said the decline in cases among children is attributed to stronger awareness and prevention campaigns in schools through partnerships with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).
However, adults remain vulnerable, especially those traveling or living in areas with limited water supply and weak mosquito control measures, particularly in rural communities.
Buscato also raised concern over the rising rabies cases, which he linked to the growing number of pet owners and ongoing challenges in ensuring responsible vaccination of animals.
Previously, about 90 percent of rabies cases were from dogs and 10 percent from cats, but the distribution has now shifted to nearly 50-50 between the two animals.
Vaccine hesitancy was also identified as one of the major challenges hindering DOH 7’s efforts against preventable diseases.
“We are trying to mitigate because classes are about to resume, and we have to ensure there is no transmission in schools so that diseases will not spread or increase,” Buscato said.
He also urged the public to follow the DOH’s “4Ts” dengue prevention campaign: Taob, Taktak, Tuyo, and Takip, emphasizing the importance of regularly cleaning, emptying water containers, and properly covering all stored water.
Households were also reminded to replace or clean stored water at least every seven days or more frequently to prevent mosquito breeding.
Buscato stressed the importance of continued community cooperation as the region enters hotter months, when the risk of disease transmission typically increases. (Andrie Cartilla, CNU intern)