The Philippines logged 15,042 cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) between October 1 and 14, a 31 percent increase from the 11,517 recorded in the two weeks before, according to a Department of Health surveillance report cited by the Philippine News Agency. The department released the figures on Wednesday.
Despite the two-week jump, the cumulative count as of October 28 stood at 139,013 — 19 percent lower than the 171,506 cases tallied over the same stretch last year, the agency reported.
Why it matters
The numbers point to a short-term surge sitting inside a longer downward trend. Health officials are watching whether the recent climb is a temporary blip or the start of a sustained rise as the year ends.
The report also matters for how the department allocates surveillance resources. Seventeen provinces and highly urbanized cities spanning 10 regions have been placed under heightened monitoring, with the National Capital Region accounting for most of the flagged areas, according to the Philippine News Agency.
Where the increases are concentrated
Three regions posted the sharpest percentage gains: Western Visayas, Region 4-B (Mimaropa) and Central Visayas. The report did not specify case counts for each area.
The heightened-surveillance list is a signal rather than a lockdown measure. It means local health units in those 17 areas are expected to track case trends more closely and report them faster, based on the department's standard practice.
Leptospirosis drops sharply in the short term, climbs over the year
Leptospirosis cases fell 54 percent to 554 in the October 1 to 14 window, compared with 1,198 in the September 17 to 30 period.
The cumulative picture is different. Total leptospirosis cases reached 14,016 as of October 28, which is 44 percent higher than the 9,707 recorded during the same period in 2025.
The department said it is continuing to monitor the situation to see whether the recent decline holds. The number of provinces and highly urbanized cities flagged for rising cases dropped to five, spread across five regions.
Leptospirosis typically spreads through contact with water or soil contaminated by animal urine, and Philippine health authorities routinely warn about it during the rainy season and after floods.
Dengue edges up but stays below epidemic thresholds
Dengue cases rose 6 percent to 23,842 from October 1 to 14, up from 22,575 in the preceding two weeks.
Cumulative dengue cases reached 229,754 as of October 28, down 17 percent from 275,685 a year earlier. The department said the year-to-date total has stayed below epidemic thresholds since January.
Even so, 23 provinces and highly urbanized cities across 12 regions were flagged for localized increases and for crossing established thresholds. That means the national picture can look stable while specific areas experience clusters that warrant closer attention.
What to watch
The department's next surveillance updates will show whether the two-week rise in ILI cases continues or reverses, and whether the flagged areas in Metro Manila and elsewhere report further increases.
