THERE has been a three-fold increase in dengue cases in Metro Manila this year, prompting the National Epidemiology Center to consider re-activating dengue "express lanes" in government hospitals.

Express lanes exclusively for dengue cases were set up in hospitals last year during the rainy season.

The center’s director, Dr. Eric Tayag, said San Lazaro Hospital has admitted 656 cases from January 1 to 25. Last year’s figure for the same period was 226 cases.

Of the 656 cases, majority (515) came from the National Capital Region, with Manila having 178 (35 percent), Caloocan City 96 cases (19 percent) and Quezon City 51 cases )10 percent).

The DOH said figures of San Lazaro Hospital reflect the number of cases in Metro Manila because most dengue patients are being brought to that hospital.

The NEC has also recorded five deaths with two coming from Quezon City, and one each from Makati and Pasay cities and Santa Rosa in Laguna.

The number of cases has been on the rise in the last three years after a low of about 23,000 cases in 2004.

In 2005, there were 34,000 cases and almost 37,000 in 2006.

Last year, a 15-year high of almost 44,000 cases was reported.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque last week said the increase in dengue cases is common among countries in the Asian region.

He said other tropical countries also registered a high number of dengue cases, "with some even higher than ours."

Among the main reasons for the increase are urbanization and congestion of residential areas, and the increase of breeding grounds for mosquitoes which are dengue carriers.