ILOILO City – The number of Western Visayans afflicted with leptospirosis climbed to 313, with 39 fatalities, data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed.
Most of those who have fallen ill were in the age bracket of between 21 to 30 years old, according to Dr. Rose Marie Lamirez, DOH Region 6 leptospirosis medical program coordinator.
They were mostly farmers, she added.
But the age range of the infected across the region were from five years old to 76 years old, clarified Lamirez.
The province of Negros Occidental had the most number of cases – 103, with 10 deaths, DOH-6 records showed.
Iloilo province had 84 cases with 10 deaths while Capiz had 38 cases with eight deaths.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease. One becomes infected through direct contact with the urine of infected animals or with a urine-contaminated environment. The bacteria enter the body through cuts or abrasions on the skin, or through the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and eyes.
DOH-6 data showed the island province of Guimaras having 32 cases since the start of 2018 with three deaths.
Iloilo City had 23 cases with four deaths; Bacolod City, 17 cases with three deaths; Antique, nine cases; and Aklan, three cases with on death.
DOH-6 also recorded four other cases confined in Region 6 hospitals but the patients came from outside Western Visayas.
The January to Aug. 11 figures this year were higher compared to the 131 cases (with 13 deaths) reported in the same period in 2017.
People were becoming more vulnerable to leptospirosis due to the constant raining that in turn results to flooding, said Lamirez.
DOH listed the following leptospirosis prevention and control measures:
* Avoid swimming or wading in potentially contaminated water or floodwater.
* Use of proper protection like boots and gloves when work requires exposure to contaminated water.
* Drain potentially contaminated water when possible.
* Control rats in the household by using rat traps or rat poison, maintaining cleanliness in the house.
In the early stages of the disease, symptoms include high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, chills, redness of the eyes, abdominal pain, jaundice, hemorrhages in the skin and mucous membranes, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash./PN
