DOH: Manila Bay not for swimming

With the onset of summer, the Department of Health (DOH) has asked the public not to swim in Manila Bay to prevent contracting skin diseases and other fatal illnesses.

Dr. Luningning Villa, head of National Center for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Center, said that the concentration of pollutants in the bay is high and "it would not be good for the health."

"We discourage swimming in Manila Bay. There are so many diseases that could be acquired in doing this," he noted in a telephone interview.

Villa added the least that they could get by bathing in the bay are skin diseases.

"They could get boils, fungus and other skin infection. And if they swallow the water, they could develop diarrhea," she claimed.

She also warned against leptospirosis that could be fatal when it starts to attack the kidney. The disease could be acquired from water contaminated with the urine of rats.

This developed as Villa urged the public to observe personal hygiene and sanitation to protect themselves against the so-called "summer diseases."

These illnesses include intertrigo or had-had, boils, sore eyes, chicken pox, measles, diarrhea and bungang araw.

"Because of low water pressure during summer, we tend to save water so some of us skip bathing or don’t wash the food thoroughly. We should not do this," she said.

Villa added that by being clean in the surrounding and one’s self, the risk of acquiring the diseases are minimized.