The Philippines' health authority warned on Friday that fogging operations against mosquitoes carrying dengue virus should be stopped, because the method could worsen the health situation in local communities.

"The public should not let fogging operations being conducted by local governments because it might worsen the dengue problem in your areas," Eric Tayag, director of National Epidemiology Center, the Department of Health (DOH) told reporters.

Tayag said communities with rising number of dengue cases should coordinate with DOH for "search and destroy" operations against dengue mosquitoes. The effective way is to identify and destroy the breeding grounds of mosquitoes, he added.

Earlier reports said that fogging operations fail because these merely drive away mosquitoes to other areas.

DOH said that from January 1 to August 29 this year, it has recorded 13,468 dengue cases nationwide. At least three deaths have been reported in rural area.

Source: Xinhua