October 30, 2025 | 11:47am
MANILA, Philippines — The Government of Canada has advised its citizens traveling to the Philippines to exercise a “high degree of caution” following rising cases of dengue fever.
In a health notice issued on October 27, the government raised the risk level for the Philippines to Level 1, urging travelers to take preventive measures such as avoiding mosquito bites, practicing proper hand hygiene and ensuring they have the latest vaccinations.
“Many travel destinations are reporting increasing numbers of dengue cases. … Pay close attention to the dengue situation in your destination before and during travel, including at the local level,” the notice read.
In the first two weeks of October, the Department of Health in the Philippines reported 8,460 dengue cases. This follows a surge in late September and August, when case numbers peaked at around 14,000 to 15,000.
Other countries with raised health precautions for dengue include Bangladesh, Belize, the Cook Islands, Cuba, Ecuador, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Kiribati, Mali, Mexico, Nauru, Panama, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Senegal, Sudan, Tuvalu, Vietnam and American Samoa.
Dengue is commonly found in tropical and subtropical countries, with cases typically spiking during the rainy season. The disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, particularly the Aedes aegypti. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant pools of water.
Symptoms usually appear four to 10 days after the bite and may include a high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, rashes, nausea and vomiting. Without immediate treatment, more serious symptoms may develop, including persistent vomiting, blood in the vomit or stool and severe abdominal pain.
To prevent dengue infection, it’s important to protect yourself from mosquito bites. This includes using insect repellents, wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, socks, and closed-toe shoes, staying hydrated and eliminating mosquito breeding sites.
There is also no vaccine available in Canada to prevent dengue infections, the government said. However, it mentioned that the QDENGA vaccine may be authorized for use in countries outside Canada such as Europe.
The government also said that the risk level notice will remain in effect until the threat of dengue subsides, at which point it will be lifted.