IN BRIEF (Page 12)

The Philippines

Govt declares dengue outbreak an epidemic

The Philippines' Department of Health has declared the country's outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic. The agency said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the declaration on Tuesday to improve the response to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special Quick Response Fund. It said the country has recorded 146,062 cases of dengue from January through July 20 this year, 98 percent more than the same period in 2018. It said the outbreak has caused 622 deaths. Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. Other Southeast Asian countries have also reported an upsurge in dengue cases this year. According to WHO, Malaysia had registered 62,421 cases through June 29, including 93 deaths, compared to 32,425 cases with 53 deaths for the same period last year.