Epidemics and Pandemics before COVID-19
2019. The total number of polio cases in the
Epidemics
Dengue
In August 2019, the Department of Health
declared a national dengue epidemic. 371,717
dengue cases, including 1407 deaths have been
reported which is 106% cases more than in
2018. Children aged 5–9 years have been the
most affected age group for dengue incidence
(23%) and deaths (38%).
In April, 2016, the Philippines was the first
country, alongside Brazil, to introduce a
national immunization campaign for dengue
using Dengvaxia. However, in late 2017, health
authorities in the Philippines decided to stop
the immunization campaign after 14 children
died out of more than 800,000 inoculated with
Dengvaxia in 2016–2017.
Diphtheria
For diphtheria, the Department of Health has
reported 197 cases with 47 deaths in 2019, an
increase in cases of 47% compared with the
same period in 2018.
Measles
In 2019, 42,200 measles cases have been
reported in our country. This measles outbreak
was responsible for 560 deaths. The
Department of Health (DOH) declared measles
outbreaks in five regions in the Philippines –
Metro Manila (NCR), Central Luzon (Region 3),
CALABARZON (Region 4A), Western Visayas
(Region 6), and Central Visayas (Region 7).
Polio
In September 2019, an outbreak of polio was
declared in the Philippines. The Philippine
Department of Health worked on a
comprehensive outbreak response, including
mass polio immunization rounds from October
country remains at 16 as of May 2020.
Effects to Economy
 loss of productivity
 increased healthcare cost
 premature deaths
 reduction in tourism
Pandemics
Spanish flu (1918 – 1919)
The flu is considered to be one of the deadliest
pandemics to hit humanity, killing
approximately 50 million. Coinciding with the
final months of the World War I, the Spanish flu
was said to be caused by the cramped, dirty
living conditions of most soldiers.  In the
Philippines, just as we were starting to recover
from the war, we were not immune from this
plague that left approximately 85,000 of our
population dead. 
SARS (2003)
Year 2003, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS) first spread in Southern China as the 21st
century’s first epidemic.  The disease spread
across 26 countries, infecting more than 8,000.
Philippines had a total of 14 cases, including 2
deaths. Philippines were among the least
affected countries during this outbreak. 
H1N1 (2009-2010)
Also known as swine flu, a virus that
is combination of viruses from pigs, birds, and
humans, first spread in the United States year
2009. It infected approximately 700 million to
1.4 billion people globally, leaving
approximately 203,000 dead.  A total
of 2,668 cases of H1N1 were reported in the
Philippines, including 3 deaths.