DOH wary of dengue, COVID-19 ‘overlaps’

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

The Department of Health-Center for Health Development Western Visayas (DOH-CHD 6) urged the public especially parents to seek early consultation if their children have fever as it can be an early symptom of either coronavirus disease (COVID-19) or dengue.

Dr. Jessie Glenn Alonsabe regional epidemiologist of DOH-CHD 6 warned that parents and guardians should be vigilant with the start of the dengue season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since it is already the advent of rainy season, nagaumpisa naman subong ang aton nga dengue season so we would like to remind our parents and guardians any kind of fever kinanglan makadto na kita sa health centers para madistinguish ina kay subong nagadungan kita sang dengue and COVID-19,” he said in an online press briefing on Tuesday.

From January 1 to May 16, DOH-CHD 6 recorded 2,141 dengue cases with three deaths in Western Visayas.

According to Alonsabe, this is 74 percent lower compared to 2019 at 8,110 cases with 54 deaths.

The most affected age groups are children one to ten years old.

Despite the significant decrease in the number of cases, Alonsabe said the public should not be complacent since there is an overlapping of fever symptoms of suspected dengue cases and influenza-like illnesses (ILI) which can also be considered as suspected COVID-19 infections.

“There is an overlapping of the signs and symptoms of ILI COVID-19 cases and dengue. It is also very difficult to distinguish a suspect COVID-19 case and a suspect dengue case that is why it is very important that we seek early consultation,” he said.

Alonsabe said that the public should monitor the difference between the onset of signs and symptoms of dengue and COVID-19.

For dengue, Alonsabe explained that high fever is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as rashes, severe abdominal pain, and any signs of bleeding.

Influenza-like illnesses which can be considered as suspected COVID-19 cases are usually associated with fever and cough.

 

“We suggest that parents will have to bring their children to health facilities to be properly managed whenever they experience signs of fever,” he said.

Alonsabe said health facilities in the region have already activated their triage area and fever fast lanes to properly manage and distinguish dengue and COVID-19 cases.

 

“Ang aton mga health facilities na activate na ang triage area nila and may ara kita fever fast lane in order for our health workers to distinguish dengue or Covid-19,” he added.

 

Alonsabe reminded the public to follow the 4S strategy against dengue particularly “search and destroy” the breeding places of mosquito; practice “self-protection”; “seek early consultation”; and “say no to indiscriminate to fogging”.

He also appealed to the public to observe safety measures against Covid-19 despite the downgrading of the quarantine status in the region to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

 

“We will continue to observe [safety measures] although MGCQ na kita, we still have to continue social distancing, wearing mask, practice personal hygiene like frequent handwashing and cough etiquette, and surface disinfection on surfaces in our homes and workplaces,” he noted.

 

In Iloilo City, Mayor Jerry Treñas has also urged the public to be alarmed of dengue amid the current Covid-19 pandemic.

 

“It is okay to be alarmed. In fact, the public should be alarmed in the sense that they should be aware of the presence of dengue all over the city,” he said in previous media interviews.

 

The city has recorded 149 cases of dengue with one death from January 1 to May 30, this year according to DOH-CHD 6.