Quezon City logs over 200 flu-like illness cases in 4 weeks

MANILA — Quezon City has logged more than 200 new cases of influenza-like illness over the four-week period from September 12 to October 10, with patients experiencing common flu symptoms such as cough, colds, and fever.

The Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division said the latest figure exceeds the 195 cases recorded in August, bringing the total cases in 2026 to 1,578.

Most of the reported cases involved children aged 14 and below, with the highest numbers recorded in 11 barangays, including UP Campus, Batasan Hills, and Doña Aurora.

Cristina, 54 and a resident of Barangay Doña Aurora, has recently recovered after a week of being sick. 

“Nahawa ako sa husband ko una siya nagkaroon ng ubo, after three days, ako. Nag-aalaga ako ng apo ko… kaya last week hindi ako nakabantay may fever ako ng two days,” she said. 

(I got it from my husband — he had a cough. Three days later, I got sick. I usually look after my grandson, but I couldn’t last week because I had a fever for two days.)

She said she is worried about her four-year-old grandson. Amid the rise in cases, Cristina has decided to keep him out of preschool for the time being.

The Department of Health has warned the public that ILI can spread through respiratory droplets from an infected person, as well as through contact with a patient’s nose, mouth, or eyes, or with contaminated objects.

The agency said infected individuals are most contagious during the first three to four days of illness, even if they do not exhibit symptoms.

The DOH also advised the public to take the following precautions once symptoms develop:


• Stay at home and avoid interacting with other people
• Avoid contact with high-risk individuals, including senior citizens, people with underlying conditions such as diabetes or asthma, pregnant women, and children younger than four years old
• Take medication for fever, such as paracetamol
• Get adequate rest
• Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water daily and eat healthy foods