Sunday, August 10, 2008

Dengue fever cases up 200 per cent in one region of Philippines

Sun Star Network Online (Philippines): Health officials in Central Luzon recorded a whooping 238 percent increase in dengue cases in the region compared to the same period last year. The Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu) of the Department of Health (DOH) said about 2,636 cases were admitted to different hospitals in the region since January this year compared to the 755 cases last year.

…The World Health Organization (WHO) earned warned that climate change will cause an increase in dengue fever and other infectious diseases in the country. "What we can see is that the expected climate change is likely to increase the risks of dengue for many millions of people over the coming decades" in the Philippines, said Dr. John Juliard Go, WHO's national officer for non-communicable diseases.

"In the Philippines, there already are trends of increasing number of hot days and warm nights, but decreasing number of cold days and cool nights. Other extreme weather climate events like intense rains have been seen to be more frequent."

If you meet this guy, slip out the back and run away. Dengue fever virus much magnified, Wikimedia Commons

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