MANILA, Philippines - The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided assistance to the Department of Health (DOH) in addressing the outbreaks of leptospirosis in communities in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities that were devastated by tropical storm “Sendong” last year.
In a statement, WHO said it has provided rapid test kits “to aid surveillance” of leptospirosis cases, thus enabling the government to implement appropriate containment measures.
It was through the Surveillance Post Extreme Emergencies and Disasters (SPEED) system that the increase in cases in the two cities was discovered.
“It guided local public health authorities to decide on providing prophylaxis among high-risk individuals. Preventive measures, including education campaigns and information dissemination through television, radio, newspapers and posters, were also done,” WHO noted.
WHO Country Representative Dr. Soe Nyunt-Un said it is important for affected residents to be educated about the disease.
“Individuals in evacuation centers and affected areas must avoid exposure by using personal protective clothing and equipment. Once exposed, they must know where to find help. Health-care providers must also be very familiar with disease management, including the purpose of diagnostic tests, treatment guidelines and complications,” he said.
Leptospirosis is a disease caused by leptospira bacteria found in “both wild and domestic animals, including rodents, insectivores, dogs, cattle, pigs and horses,” but rodents are the ones that shed large amounts of bacteria in their urine.
WHO said human transmission “occurs through contact of the skin and mucous membranes with urine-contaminated water, damp soil, vegetation or mud.
“It takes about 10 days before manifestations appear, though in some cases it can take as little as two days or as many as 30 days after exposure.
Common signs and symptoms of early-stage leptospirosis include high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, chills, redness in the eyes, abdominal pain, jaundice, hemorrhages in skin and mucous membranes, vomiting, diarrhea and rashes.
Temporary shelters
As this developed, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) identified the temporary and permanent relocation sites for families displaced by Sendong.
Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said that the temporary shelter sites in Iligan are: Tent City, Tambo Terminal with 102 families; City Central Elementary School with eight families; Tambacan Elementary School with 84 families; and Barangays San Roque and Bonbonon with 41 families.
The other proposed relocation sites are in Sta. Elena and Sta. Felomina for an estimated 3,330 families.
In Cagayan de Oro, existing temporary sites are in Mandumol, Agusan Elementary School, Camaman-an covered court, Buena Oro covered court, Fatima Parish Hall, Mt. Carmel Parish Hall, Indahag, Regional Science High School and San Jose Seminary housing 429 families.
Additional temporary sites are also being developed in Calaanan and Lumbia.
On the other hand, the proposed permanent shelter sites are in Calaanan, Lumbia, Indahag, Balulang, Camaman-an, and Taguanao in Cagayan de Oro, and a 50-hectare lot in the municipality of Villanueva in Misamis Oriental.
As of yesterday, some 41 evacuation centers remained open, of which 16 are in Iligan while 25 are in Cagayan de Oro, serving 1,900 families and 3,535 families, respectively.
Vice President Jejomar Binay vowed to fast-track the construction of over 6,000 houses for the storm victims in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Dumaguete.
Binay, chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the Board of Trustees of the Pag-IBIG Fund (Home Mutual Development Fund), also said the storm victims who are temporarily sheltered in makeshift tents in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Dumaguete will be relocated to the housing units starting April, based on a timetable prepared by the housing agencies.
“I am now with the officials of the housing agencies on orders of President Aquino to identify who needs help,” Binay said during a dialog held at the Grand Caprice Limketkai Center in Cagayan de Oro yesterday. – With Helen Flores, Jose Rodel Clapano, Rhodina Villanueva