One dies in 25 leptospirosis cases

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines  – One death from 25 suspected cases of leptospirosis has been reported by the Department of Health in Negros Oriental as of Thursday morning.

Regional health officials however have not yet declared an “outbreak” of the disease in the province.

Dr. Socrates Villamor, chief of the DOH’s Provincial Epidemiology Surveillance Unity, said these leptospirosis cases surfaced after typhoon Sendong badly hit Dumaguete and other parts of the province last December 17.

Villamor said the bacterial infection is water-borne, usually carried by floodwaters contaminated with urine of rats and rodents, but not transmitted between humans.

He said it can be contacted via open wounds of a person who has been exposed to contaminated water, adding that the infection could lead to death due to liver or renal failure.

The fatality was in Tanjay City, which topped the list with 18 leptospirosis cases. Next was Dumaguete with three cases, followed by San Jose town with two and Bais City with one.

Of the total number, 11 of the patients were or are still confined at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital in Dumaguete.

A team from the Cebu City-based DOH’s Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Center-Region 7 is now in Negros Oriental to do the rounds of areas and hospitals with reported cases of leptospirosis.

The team is currently in Tanjay City for confirmatory tests by working to get some blood samples from patients suspected to be afflicted by the disease.

Villamor further advised flood victims, rescuers and other people who may have come in contact with contaminated water to be forewarned by flu-like symptoms, such as high fever with searing frontal headache and muscle pains, to go immediately to a physician. (FREEMAN)