MANILA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Oscar Albayalde placed the entire police force under full alert on Wednesday after dengue outbreak reached the epidemic level in the country.
Already, Albayalde ordered all PNP units "to monitor and report any dengue cases" in their specific areas of responsibility, including cases that involve police personnel and their dependents.
On Tuesday, the Philippines's Department of Health (DOH) declared the dengue outbreak a national epidemic after a surge of dengue cases and deaths in the country. The department has recorded some 146,000 cases of dengue from January through July 20 this year, 98 percent more than the same period in 2018. The outbreak has caused 622 deaths, it added.
Albayalde also urged other police personnel to actively participate in the daily clean up to destroy mosquito-breeding sites in communities across the country, including police camps.
The cleanup effort dubbed "enhanced 4-S campaign" stands for search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites, secure self-protection measures like wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts and daily use of mosquito repellent, seek early consultation, and support fogging or spraying only in hotspot areas.
The PNP hospitals will also closely coordinate with local health units in the fight against the rising cases of dengue in the country.
Moreover, following the DOH's declaration of a national dengue epidemic, Philippine Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Eduardo Ano has also enjoined all local government units (LGUs) to act swiftly in preventing dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases by implementing the "enhanced 4-S campaign" in their areas.
Dengue cases in the Philippines have been observed to peak every three to four years. The last peak occurred in 2016. Given the pattern, the health department expects an increase in cases this year.
Dengue is a viral disease with no known vaccine or specific antibiotics. Effective surveillance helps in reducing cases and deaths if areas with clustering of cases are identified early.
Signs and symptoms of the disease are severe headache, pain behind the eyes, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and skin rashes.
