By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

After a “bad dengue year in 2019”, Philippines health officials have declared the epidemic “over”. Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the announcement today.

Aedes aegypti
Image/CDC

Duque said that cases of, as well as deaths due to dengue decreased in the last few months.

Through Dec. 21, the cumulative number of cases was 429,409, including 1,607 deaths in 2019. This is higher compared to 241,707 cases including 1,210 deaths reported during the same period in 2018.

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Dengue is a disease caused by a virus spread through mosquito bites. The disease can take up to 2 weeks to develop with illness generally lasting less than a week.

Health effects from dengue include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, rash, muscle and joint pain, and minor bleeding.

Dengue can become severe within a few hours. Severe dengue is a medical emergency, usually requiring hospitalization.

In severe cases, health effects can include hemorrhage (uncontrolled bleeding), shock (seriously low blood pressure), organ failure, and death.

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