DOH Preparing For Possible Return Of Dengue Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health (DOH) is also taking measures to prepare for the possible return of diseases like dengue during the upcoming rainy season.

Inquirer.net reports that the agency is doing everything possible to ensure that dengue and similar rainy season diseases will not burden the Philippine healthcare system further as it continues to battle COVID-19.

“Mayroon tayong dalawang pathway — ang isa ‘yung COVID pathway at non-COVID pathway,” DOH Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said in an online conference, reports GMA News. “Ating ine-educate ang ating local governments na dapat mayroon din silang pathway for the non-COVID services.”

Vergeire added, “Ito ‘yung mga sakit o ibang mga services na dapat i-offer pa rin ng ating healthcare in spite of us having this crisis with COVID at kasama na diyan ‘yung dengue.”

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One of the preparations made by the DOH is the designation of referral hospitals where COVID-19 patients are to be taken for treatment. “That’s the very objective of having referral hospitals for COVID so that all our patients would just go to these hospitals at kapag doon na sila pumupunta, ‘yung ibang ospital naman magagawa na ‘yung non-COVID.”

Inquirer.net reports that the government has also converted sports and entertainment venues like the Rizal Memorial Stadium, the Philippine International Convention Center, and the World Trade Center.

These facilities have been designate to help manage the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, GMA News reports. According to the reportr COVID-19 case tracker, there are now more than 7,700 confirmed cases of the disease in the country.

Vergeire said the healthcare sector is still in the “transition phase” to implement those two pathways smoothly.

For the latest COVID-19 cases, check out our reportr COVID-19 case tracker. For the latest news and updates on COVID-19, check out reportr.world/covid-19.

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