Jardine Distribution Inc.and Star Parks Corporation partners for an Anti-Zika and Dengue Campaign

The World Health Organization (WHO) has already declared zika as a public health emergency of international concern. Recently, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the seventeenth (17th) Zika case in the Philippines.

Zika virus is transmitted by Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes – the same mosquito specie that caused dengue, chikungunya and other diseases, with symptoms that are relatively mild. Although zika is caused by the same mosquito specie, it is believed to be more alarming than dengue and chikungunya and highly risky for pregnant women as it is found out to cause microcephaly in infants.

Five Tips for a Dengue Free Holiday

As soon as the air takes on a chilly nip, the radio plays Christmas songs and the streets explode with colorful lights, you know that the holiday season is just around the corner. By this time, we say goodbye to typhoons (although a couple might try to sneak through) and expect good, cool weather until January of next year. What doesn't leave, however, is dengue which has now become a year-round issue. Falling ill with the infection amid the merriment of the season is not only a depressing thought but a real concern, since most of us will be exposed outdoors (doing our shopping, attending parties, hearing the early morning Mass) more than the usual. Fortunately, we can arm ourselves with a handful of precautions against dengue-lamok. Here’s a list of them:

HEALTHY LYF: Chikungunya virus on the move

DOH:  cases of dengue-like mosquito-borne disease now rising

Little did we know that aside from dengue, there are many other life-threatening mosquito-borne diseases that have hounded Filipinos for decades.  Though there is no vaccine available in the country to cure these illnesses, preventive measures are available to assure safety of adults and children alike.

Last October, the Department of Health (DOH) warned the public to take extra precautions against the chikungunya virus.  The DOH confirmed that there were 150 recorded cases of this dengue-like disease last month.  And last year, more than 1,000 cases of chikungunya were recorded in the country.

The origin

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne virus first reported in Africa in 1952 and has spread in Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Europe and United States, infecting millions. Believed to be derived from an East African dialect that means “to be contorted,” chikungunya describes the curved posture of patients experiencing severe joint pain.  

Green Cross School Crashers Invades Paco Catholic School!

Dengue is something not to be taken lightly as it affects a lot of people especially in our tropical climate where breeding mosquitoes can multiply exponentially, and with the latest study that the type of mosquitoes are not exclusively biting during daytime but in the night as well.

This indeed sets alarms for parents for their children especially for those who are actively playing outdoors like playgrounds, streets and even at school. Luckily, Green Cross, maker of one of the most trusted alcohol brands launched earlier this year the Green Cross Insect Repellent Lotion which aims to prevent the spread of dengue to the community. And they are on a school "raid" to different schools to save students from the threat of Dengue.