ALMOST throughout the year, dengue fever claims the lives of people not only in heavily-populated areas, like Metropolitan Manila (MM), but also in the countryside.

In many rural communities, where farmers, fishermen and other farm workers live, people still die of dengue fever and other dreaded diseases because of poverty.

The other deadly diseases during the rainy season in the country, a favorite sparring partner of destructive typhoons and storms, include leptopirosis and gastroenteritis.

It is also disgusting and saddening that many rural people still seek the help of faith healers and quack doctos instead of medical doctors, nurses and health professionals.

“Hindi natin masisisi ang mga taong ito kung sa mga faith healer sila lalapit at magpapagamot dahil hindi naman nila kayang pumunta sa ospital o doktor,” a farmer said.

Of course, nobody can blame these impoverished Filipinos, including the jobless, because they cannot afford the skyrocketing costs of medical services and medicines.

That’s why it is certainly disheartening to know that dengue cases rose by 191 percent during the January 1-October 1, 2022 period, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

In an online forum, DOH-Epidemiology Bureau Director Alethea de Guzman said the Philipppines logged a total of 173,233 dengue cases during the period.

Three regions posted above the epidemic threshold from January to October this year. They are Central Luzon, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and MM.

Around 54 percent of the 173,233 cases are 15 years and below, while 57 pecent had warning signs of dengue.

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.There’s no known cure or specific treatment for dengue fever.

You can only relieve the symptoms. Thus, if you have warning signs of severe dengue fever, health professionals encouraged people to seek medical attention.

Among the symptoms of dengue include abdominal pain, blood in your vomit or poop, bleeding gums or nose, frequent vomiting or extreme tiredness or restlessness.