Dengue is more experienced during rainy days, mostly in June, as it’s a rainy month, and June has been reported to be declared as Dengue Awareness Month, in order to raise awareness regarding preventive measures against dengue.

The World Health Organization has referred dengue as a “viral disease transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito, particularly A. aegypti infected with any of the four dengue viruses”.

Also, its symptoms, which appear 3 to 14 days after the infectious bite, include a mild fever to incapacitating fever with severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscles, and joints, and rashes.

The Department of Health is said to have reported a total of 22,903 dengue cases across the country from January to May of this year which is 8% higher than last year with 141 deaths recorded.

This year, with the theme “Eskwela, Simbahan, Barangay, Palengke at Buong Komunidad, Sama-sama Nating Sugpuin and Dengue”, the DOH’s intends to fight dengue through its 4S Kontra Dengue strategy; ‘search and destroy, self-protection measures; seek early consultation; and say no to indiscriminate fogging’.

Moreover, though dengue mosquitoes are rampant during the rainy season, they breed all year-round and the DOH has advised the public to destroy potential mosquito breeding sites like tins, plastic cans, old tires, and flower pots with stale water, to clean gutters, replace water in flower vases often and use mosquito nets as well as mosquito repellents.