The Philippines' health department Sunday raised an alarm over dengue fever in the country, where 108 people have died so far of the disease.

The number of fatalities recorded from Jan 1 to April 5 was 46 percent higher than 74 deaths in the corresponding period last year.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said he has ordered all department personnel to step up the campaign to urge residents to clean up their homes and environment.

'We urge the public to get rid of anything that can become breeding sites for mosquitoes,' he said. 'That is the best way to fight dengue.'

The health department also recorded a total of 9,176 dengue cases from Jan 1 to April 5, up 34 percent from the corresponding period last year.

Fifty-three percent of the patients were males, with the youngest only being one month old and the oldest at 87 years old.

In 2007, a total of 43,938 cases of dengue were reported in the Philippines while 407 people died from the disease.

Dengue, which is contracted through mosquito bites, is an infectious tropical fever causing acute pain in the joints. Symptoms include loss of appetite, general weakness, nausea and vomiting.