Public warned vs common diseases during rainy days

MANILA, Philippines - With the onset of the rainy season, the public should take precautions against influenza, dengue, leptospirosis and water-borne diseases, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

In a press briefing, DOH spokesman Lyndon Lee Suy said that while the four diseases are very common during rainy days, they are easily preventable.

“To prevent influenza, for instance, it is important for everyone of us to make sure that we observe healthy lifestyle. Meaning you have to make sure that you get enough sleep, eat nutritious food, stop smoking and avoid alcohol and stress,” he said.

The DOH’s Philippine Health Advisories guidebook defines influenza as a “viral infection that attacks the respiratory system.” 

Influenza, commonly known as flu, is characterized by fever of at least 38 °C, headache, runny nose, sore throat, cough and other respiratory manifestation and muscle or joint pains.

Lee Suy also said that while there were fewer dengue cases recorded from Jan. 1 to May 31 this year, the number could easily soar with the onset of the rainy season.

He urged the public to continue eliminating possible breeding sites of mosquitoes. Dengue is spread by the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which thrive in clean stagnant water that is abundant during rainy season.

A person inflicted with dengue experiences high fever lasting from two to seven days, muscle pain, weakness, skin rashes, nose bleeding, abdominal pain and, in some cases, vomiting of coffee-colored matter and difficulty in breathing.

“We could never let our guard down when it comes to dengue. It is important for us to eliminate any possible mosquito breeding site,” he added.

To avoid leptospirosis, Lee Suy said the public should ensure that garbage is disposed of properly so that rodents would not thrive and contaminate floodwaters with dengue-causing leptospira spirochetes bacteria.

The disease is transmitted by ingesting contaminated water or when broken skin or open wounds and mucous membrane like eye, nose, sinuses and mouth, come into contact with contaminated water.