Dengue may be stubborn, seasonal, and expensive—but this January, it blinked first.
The Department of Health (DOH) reported a sharp 71-percent drop in dengue cases between January 4 and 24, with infections falling to 7,471 from 25,625 during the same period last year. Health officials attribute the decline to heightened public awareness driven by the agency’s no-frills prevention push, “Alas Kwatro Kontra Mosquito.”
The campaign targets the real culprit behind the disease: Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species whose females transmit the virus—sometimes leading to the potentially fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever—through their bites. These mosquitoes thrive in stagnant water commonly found in urban homes, from flower pots and roof gutters to clogged drains and uncovered containers.
The DOH says community compliance has been key. Households are being urged to make use of rain-free hours to clean their surroundings, regularly emptying, shaking, drying, and covering containers that can collect water and become breeding sites for mosquitoes. The campaign reinforces the habit of “taob, taktak, tuyo at takip” as a simple but effective way to break the mosquito’s breeding cycle before it begins.
Health officials also reminded the public to remain vigilant for early warning signs of dengue, including fever, rashes, body pain, dizziness, and pain behind the eyes, and to seek medical care immediately if symptoms appear.
Beyond its public health toll, dengue remains a costly burden on the healthcare system. In 2024, PhilHealth paid out more than P3.5 billion in benefits covering over 300,000 dengue-related claims. Early indicators suggest 2025 could still rival—or even exceed—the total in 2024. By the end of June 2025, claims had already reached 142,403, valued at roughly P2.18 billion.
Clearly, prevention is cheaper than treatment. Sometimes, the most effective health defense starts with turning a bucket upside down.
