Dengue has become so prevalent in the Philippines, the mosquito-borne viral infection has already made its presence felt months ahead of the rainy season when it usually strikes.
A March 2025 report from the Department of Health revealed that 62,313 cases of dengue were recorded from January to March—a whopping 73% increase from the same period last year. Calabarzon or Region IV-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon provinces) had the highest number of cases at 12,735, followed by 11,291 from the National Capital Region, and 10,185 from Central Luzon.
The rains typically spark an outbreak (puddles and water accumulating in discarded items are a perfect breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes to lay their eggs and proliferate dengue-spreading carriers), yes; but lack of awareness also makes the community a target of this highly preventable infection.
To combat dengue as much as possible, especially during the rainy season, Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed) Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist Ma. Lourdes G. Gozali, MD emphasizes some of the most important information in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the disease.
How can you tell if it is Dengue?
“When you are bitten by a mosquito carrier of the dengue virus, it takes 4 to 10 days before symptoms appear,” says Dr. Gozali. “They’re very mild, like you’re having a flu.” Known as the febrile phase, this period is marked by a fever that lasts for 2 to 7 days, headache, body and muscle pain, redness in the eyes, vomiting, and rashes.
Are you experiencing persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, fluid retention, chest pain, bleeding gums, and lethargy, even as your fever has resolved itself within 2-7 days? You’ve entered the critical phase. “That’s when problems occur,” warns the doctor. “Your platelets go down, your blood pressure drops, and bleeding can occur.”
For a definitive diagnosis, doctors rely on a number of blood tests.
- Complete Blood Count (CBC): A white blood cell (WBC) count of less than 5,000 cells/mm3 indicates dengue
- Dengue NS1 antigen test: Detects a protein found in the dengue virus; done between one (1) to five (5) days from onset of fever
- Dengue IgM test: Picks up antibodies produced by the immune system during an infection and can be taken after five (5) days from onset of fever
Should you be admitted to the hospital?
If you haven’t lost your appetite, are not weak, and have good urine output every six (6) hours, you can recover from dengue at home with rest, hydration, and paracetamol. “But you have to check your CBC every day,” reminds Dr. Gozali.
As such, it is always best to err on the safe side, especially if you are immunocompromised or have worrisome symptoms that require constant monitoring in a hospital setting. Complications from dengue include kidney failure, liver damage, dengue shock syndrome (or the sudden drop in blood pressure), prolonged bleeding, and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscles).
What medicines do I need?
There’s no specific medication for dengue, but doctors will always remind you to “hydrate, hydrate, hydrate” with oral hydration solution to replace fluids and electrolytes lost during vomiting. And while people tend to interchange ibuprofen and paracetamol, Dr. Gozali prefers the latter in the treatment of dengue. “Paracetamol is safe, unless your liver has already been affected by dengue. Ibuprofen is effective at relieving you of fever and headaches, but you risk bleeding and gastritis.”
To help curb the spread of dengue in your communities, here are a few practical things to do:
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Get rid of items that collect standing water
From flowerpots, unused pails, and empty aquariums to old tires, bottles, cans, pet bowls, drip trays for air-conditioners and dishes, and perennially damp surfaces—anything that can accumulate little pools of water is a potential breeding site for mosquitoes. Throw them away and keep your surroundings dry and clutter-free.
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Install screens on your windows and doors
Mesh screens with a 1-millimeter opening are too tiny for mosquitoes and other insects to penetrate. They give you and your family protection without compromising airflow.
- Sleep under a mosquito net, if possible
Much like window and door screens, mosquito nets keep pesky dengue carriers away. Some are even treated with insecticide to repel the most persistent of mosquitoes. - Use repellants
Too hot to wear long-sleeved shirts and pants? Mosquito coils and topical insect sprays and lotions do the job of keeping you from being bitten—but you’ll still have to do your part in maintaining a stagnant-water-free home.
The MakatiMed doctor dispels the old wives’ tale that mosquitos are drawn to people with certain blood types and scents. “We’re all equal,” Dr. Gozali says. “Whether you’re poor, rich, you bathe or don’t, a mosquito will bite you. That’s why we all have to protect ourselves.”
Article based on the DZRH News’ LUNAS EXTENSION with ELLANIE BENSAL interview with Ma. Lourdes G. Gozali, MD last June 5, 2025.
For immediate assistance related to Dengue, go to MakatiMed’s Emergency Department on the Ground Floor of the hospital’s Tower 1 or call (+632) 8888 8910 to request an ambulance. You may also reach out to us via MakatiMed On-Call at (+632) 8888 8999 for any health-related inquiries.
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