At least 13 persons, most of them children, have died from dengue and diarrhea in Cebu City, central Philippines, since the year started, said officials in Manila on Monday.

The Cebu City Health Office noted that the cases of the two diseases significantly increased from January to March this year compared to the same period last year.

According to the January to March surveillance report of the Cebu City Epidemiology Surveillance and Statistics Unit (Cessu), dengue cases had an increase of over 65 percent, with eight fatalities.

Cases of diarrhea increased by 11 percent with five deaths.

Cases of typhoid fever, dog bites and measles, however, dropped sharply. Typhoid fever cases dropped by half from 46 last year to about 23 during the first quarter of 2005.

Measles also went down to three cases this year from last year's 28 while only 50 patients were treated for dog bites this year compared to last year's 115 patients. On the other hand, one was infected with rabies.

City health officials are closely watching other diseases such as diptheria, malaria, and meningococcemia.