By Analou De Vera
The Department of Health (DOH) encouraged the public to seek early consultation if they experience symptoms of dengue as it will be crucial to prevent deaths caused by the mosquito-borne illness.
Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (CZAR DANCEL / MANILA BULLETIN)
"Early detection is so crucial. Kailangan talaga maagapan bago ito mag shift to third stage ," said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Duque said that some patients were brought to the hospital "rather late", causing them to have severe complications.
"Usually they are brought to the hospital rather late --in the stage of dengue infectious process that means that the complication---third stage--- has already been reached. So, ito yung hemorrhage, internal bleeding, the heart is affected, other organs are similarly affected. The reason is mainly because of the late stage complications which are rather deadly," he said.
To note, some of the signs and symptoms of dengue include severe headache, pain behind the eyes, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and skin rashes.
Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique Domingo said that the management of dengue was "not really that very hard."
"Our hospitals are equipped but we have to see the patients early and we have to manage them properly," he said.
Domingo urged the public to seek medical consultation if they have fever for two to three days already.
"Pag may lagnat ang bata ng two or three days kailangan dalhin na agad sa center or hospital because we have a rapid test if it is dengue or not para malaman natin," he said.
On Monday, the health department declared a National Dengue Alert for the first time due to the growing number of dengue cases in the country.
The DOH reported that dengue cases nationwide has now reached 106,630, including 456 deaths for the period of January 1 to June 29.