THE City Health Office reported that no chikungunya cases have been recorded in Davao City so far this January 2026, following daily monitoring and barangay visits discussed during the iSpeak Media Forum held at City Hall on January 29, 2026.
Melodin Babante, focal person of the CHO Topical Disease Protection and Control Unit, said chikungunya cases were recorded in previous years, but none have been reported so far this year. She explained that monitoring teams regularly visit barangays to check for possible cases and verify reports from local health units.
“Dili siya fatal, pero ang symptoms is pareho gihapon sa dengue (It is not fatal, but the symptoms are similar to dengue),” she said.
She added that prevention efforts have improved due to stronger support from the city government, including increased funding and faster response in barangays.
According to Babante, the city mayor’s office provided P3 million in 2025 for mosquito-borne disease programs, which helped strengthen monitoring and control activities.
Compared with 2025, which reported suspected chikungunya cases and active investigations, this year’s update showed no reported cases so far. Babante said this may reflect the impact of sustained monitoring, barangay task forces, and continued coordination with city offices.
Babante emphasized that while the situation is currently stable, the CHO remains alert, assuring the public that there have been no recorded deaths linked to these diseases.
In 2024, the City Health Office recorded 12 chikungunya cases across various barangays in Davao City. Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 383 chikungunya cases nationwide from January to March 2024, a significant increase from just 71 cases in 2023.
What is chikungunya
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines chikungunya as a virus transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Common symptoms include fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, swelling, and rash.
There is currently no medication or vaccine available for the virus.
Because chikungunya shares symptoms with dengue and Zika virus, it is sometimes misdiagnosed. The CHO stressed that severe symptoms and fatalities are rare and usually occur due to underlying health conditions. RHAICCA YOGON/NDDU INTERN WITH REPORTS FROM RGP