ILOILO – The Provincial Health Office (PHO) recorded 88 leptospirosis cases with nine deaths since January – 283 percent higher than the cases recorded in the same period last year.
There were 23 recorded leptospirosis cases from Jan. 1 to Aug. 18, 2017, PHO records showed.
The five municipalities with the most number of cases were the following:
* Oton – 10 cases with three deaths
* Pototan – nine cases
* Cabatuan – eight cases with one death
* Alimodian – six cases with one death
* Maasin – six cases
The four other leptospirosis-related deaths were in the towns of Lambunao, Dumangas, Santa Barbara, and Concepcion.
According to Dr. Patricia Grace Trabado, PHO chief, most of the leptospirosis cases were from Iloilo’s central towns that have large swathes of rice fields, and most of those infected were farmworkers.
“They were from rice-producing municipalities and may have gotten leptospirosis from contaminated water,” said Trabado.
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.
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.
The Department of Health 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.
Trabado said people with cuts or open wounds and have waded in rice fields or floodwaters better see a doctor immediately./PN
