THE Department of Health yesterday warned of an outbreak in leptospirosis cases if the rise in the flood-borne disease is not addressed while flooding persists in parts of the country.
“It is possible that cases will continue to increase brought about by the bad weather and typhoons entering the country in the past weeks,” said Dr. Alethea de Guzman, director of the DOH Epidemiology Bureau.
“The fact that there is an increase in cases, if flooding is not prevented or not enough public health response is implemented, it is really possible to have an outbreak,” she said in an online media forum.
Based on DOH data, 3,728 leptospirosis cases have been reported from January 1 to September 2. Majority of the cases are in the National Capital Region (872), Western Visayas (408), Cagayan Valley (355), and Central Luzon (307).
“This is 70 percent higher compared to the cases recorded during the same period last year,” said de Guzman.
“For 2023, the reported leptospirosis cases are already beyond the average number of cases reported in the past five years,” she added.
Leptospirosis is a disease caused by the leptospira bacteria which enters through wounds that come in contact with flood waters, vegetation, and moist soil contaminated with the urine of infected animals, usually rats.
Its symptoms are fever, muscle pain, headache, reddish eyes, yellowish body discoloration, dark-colored urine, low urine output, and light stool. — Gerard Naval
