MANILA – Health officials are seeing a spike in the number of dengue and leptospirosis cases after the days of downpour that caused floods in many areas in Metro Manila.
Leptospirosis cases reported from Jan. 1 to July 14 have reached 623 with 68 deaths, according to Health secretary Francisco Duque III.
Dengue cases, on the other hand, reached 8,223 – 17 percent higher than the reported cases in the same period last year.
“This rainy season of the last two to three days, we expect again an upsurge in the number of leptospirosis and dengue cases,” Duque said.
“It’s always alarming if we have deaths so certainly because we have reported deaths,” he added.
Earlier the Department of Health declared a leptospirosis outbreak in 29 barangays in Metro Manila. Most of the reported cases (201) were from Quezon City.
Duque made rounds in some of the flooded villages on Wednesday to help make residents aware of the symptoms of and the ways to prevent dengue and leptospirosis.
The Health secretary reminded the public to seek medical consultation when symptoms appear instead of just taking doxycycline, which may lead to antimicrobial resistance.
“Kung hindi naman nalusong sa baha, wala ring epekto naman. Mahirap lang baka magkaroon pa ng antimicrobial resistance, which is something that we would like to avoid,” said Duque.
In addition he advised the public to seek the doctor’s advice on the correct antibiotic to use. Doxycycline, he said, is not suited for some, including pregnant women. (UNTV News and Rescue)
