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A boy sits on the shoulder of a man while being carried towards a high dry area in Barangay Buhangin, Butuan City on February 6, 2024.

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BUTUAN-FLOOD

Arra Perez

ABS-CBN News

The Department of Health (DOH) is appealing to the public to put wear rain gear and avoid wading in floodwaters, amid the increase in the number of leptospirosis cases in the country.Data from the DOH show a &quot;quick increase&quot; of six cases from May 5 to 18, to 60 cases from May 19 to June 1, and to 83 cases from June 2 to June 15.In total, the agency has recorded 878 leptospirosis cases from January 1 to June 15, with 84 deaths.This is still lower than the 1,769 cases listed during the same period last year – but the DOH is not sitting still as these figures translate to lives that can be saved.&quot;Kung naabutan po tayo ng baha at wala tayong magawa kundi lumusong… pagkatapos po lumusong pagdating sa bahay or saanman ang patutunguhan ninyo, agad na maligo, linisin ang katawan na natamaan ng mga tubig baha, gumamit ng malinis na tubig at sabon at magpalit po,&quot; DOH spokesperson Asec. Albert Domingo told reporters. (If we get caught in a flood and have no choice but to wade through it, once you get home or to your destination, immediately take a bath, clean the parts of your body that were exposed to floodwater, use clean water and soap, and change clothes.) <div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/27/doh-sounds-alarm-over-increasing-leptospirosis-cases-1402" id="isPasted">DOH sounds alarm over increasing leptospirosis cases </a></div>&quot;Iyan po ay para makita natin na matanggal kaagad iyong Leptospira kung meron man pong kumapit sa ating balat, pero mahalaga kumonsulta pa rin kasi na-expose po kayo sa tubig-baha,&quot; he added.(This is to ensure that any Leptospira, if it has attached to our skin, is immediately removed. However, it is still important to consult a doctor because you were exposed to floodwater.)Leptospirosis is caused by the bacterium Leptospira, which is carried by some mammals, commonly, rats. This can enter a person&#x27;s body through wounds and through the eyes, mouth, or nose. The DOH and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) enumerated common symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea, or vomiting. More specific symptoms are jaundice, eye redness, and muscle pain from the back of the knee down to the heel. This can be fatal because if it has entered the body, other organs may be affected like the liver, kidneys, and brain. <div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2024/6/27/doh-naaalarma-sa-pagdami-ng-leptospirosis-cases-1908" id="isPasted">DOH naaalarma sa pagdami ng leptospirosis cases </a></div>Doctors are asking the public to be transparent about their symptoms, including if they have waded through floodwaters or come from unsanitary places.This is where the appropriate medicine is based on.&quot;Incubation period bago lumabas iyong sintomas ng lepto[spirosis] ay mula as short as two days hanggang isang buwan… Baka dumating ang punto na bandang tatlong linggo na or apat na linggo tsaka lumabas iyong mga sintomas - baka too late na po iyon,&quot; Domingo explained. (The incubation period before leptospirosis symptoms appear can be as short as two days or up to a month. Symptoms might show up after about three or four weeks, and by then, it might be too late.) &quot;Kaya mahalaga po sa amin ang kumonsulta kaagad pagkatapos lumusong para siguradong maagapan at magabayan kung kailangan man nung ating preventive na antibiotic,&quot; he added. (That&#x27;s why it is important for us to consult a doctor immediately after wading through floodwaters, to ensure that we can take measures and receive guidance, including the possible need for preventive antibiotics.) Domingo said, so far, cases have been increasing in a &quot;surprising rate&quot; – but much can still be done to prevent the rising figures. <div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/05/23/amid-floods-leptospirosis-cases-rise-over-100">Amid floods, leptospirosis cases rise over 100%</a> </div>&quot;We would even say it is alarming, but it can be controlled. Malayo pa tayo doon sa level noong 2023, gawan na natin ng intervention ngayon. Iyong ating mga local government unit, iyon po mga declogging, napaka-importante iyan,&quot; he shared. (We would even say it is alarming, but it can be controlled. We&#x27;re far from the level of 2023; let&#x27;s implement interventions now. Our local government units should prioritize declogging, which is very important.) &quot;The highest peak we observed last 2023 is around mga July or August, so papunta pa lang tayo doon... Pababain na natin, lets keep it low,&quot; he added. (The highest peak we observed in 2023 was around July or August, so we&#x27;re heading towards that... Let&#x27;s lower it, let&#x27;s keep it low.) FIGHTING &#x27;LEPTO&#x27; Patient Leonardo Ruiz had to go through dialysis when his kidney was infected due to leptospirosis.He thinks he got the disease while working as a garbage collector, when he waded through floodwater and may have ingested contaminated water.&quot;Naninilaw na ako, namumula na iyong mata ko, nilalagnat na ako, nanlalata na ako... Napakasakit, grabe, sobra. Hindi ko makakalimutan... Gusto ko na nga bumitaw kaso... para sa dalawa kong anak, kaya ko... lalaban ako kasi may uuwian pa akong pamilya,&quot; Ruiz told ABS-CBN News while crying and remembering his ordeal.(I&#x27;m turning yellow, my eyes are reddening, I have a fever, I&#x27;m weakening. It&#x27;s so painful. It was an unforgettable experience. I wanted to give up but for my two children, I will fight because I still have a family waiting for me at home.)<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/26/residents-of-navotas-city-appeal-for-assistance-amid-floodings-2034" id="isPasted">Residents of Navotas City appeal for assistance amid floodings </a></div>Dr. Romina Danguilan, Deputy Executive Director for Medical Services of leptospirosis specialty center NKTI, said they have been admitting one to two leptospirosis patients daily since June 1. Cases have reached 57 from January 1 to June 27, with three deaths. As of June 27, 10 are still admitted in the hospital, with one patient in the intensive care unit (ICU). &quot;Lahat po sila naka-dialysis, then isa naka-mechanical ventilator dahil sa merong dugo sa kanyang baga. So sa NKTI po, ang nakukuha po namin are patients with leptospirosis with severe complications. They have kidney failure na kailangan po nila ng dialysis, na temporarily lang naman. Tapos iyong iba, meron sa kanilang baga, dinudugo. And also iyong tinatawag na acute pancreatitis and liver damage,&quot; Danguilan told reporters. (All of them are on dialysis, and one is on a mechanical ventilator due to blood in their lungs. So at NKTI, we&#x27;re seeing patients with leptospirosis experiencing severe complications. They have kidney failure requiring dialysis temporarily. Others are experiencing bleeding in their lungs, acute pancreatitis, and liver damage as well.) Danguilan described how leptospirosis affects the kidneys. &quot;So once the leptospirosis enters the bloodstream, nagmu-multiply sila and then pumupunta sila sa mga specific organs. So they go to the kidneys and doon sila nagkakaroon ng problema. They affect the kidney function and then there&#x27;s an immunologic response that occurs in the kidneys, and then that will cause the failure,&quot; she explained. (Once leptospirosis enters the bloodstream, it multiplies and then targets specific organs. They go to the kidneys where they cause problems. They affect kidney function and trigger an immune response in the kidneys, leading to failure.) She warned leptospirosis may be found in unsanitary areas and, sometimes, even at home.<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/24/damaged-navigational-gates-causing-floods-in-parts-of-malabon-navotas-2349" id="isPasted">Damaged navigational gate causing floods in parts of Malabon, Navotas</a></div>&quot;So pag dumadating po ang mga pasyente natin, tinatanong namin, &#x27;Sa bahay niyo ba may mga daga?&#x27; Then iyong ibang pasyente po sasabihin nila, nakagat sila ng daga. So minsan talaga, inside our homes, baka hindi malinis… Isa pa po, iyong mga naglilinis sa mga imburnal, iyong mga iyon ang trabaho nila. Iyon, very prone sila to be exposed to leptospirosis so pag ganon kailangan mag-take na sila ng prophylaxis ng gamot,&quot; she explained. (We ask our patients, &quot;Do you have rats at home?&quot; Some say they were bitten by rats. Sometimes, inside our homes, cleanliness might be an issue. Another thing is those who clean the sewers. They are very prone to being exposed to leptospirosis, so in those cases, they need to take prophylactic medication.)She asked patients and healthcare workers alike to be more open in their communication to prevent worst-case scenarios. &quot;Posible kasi po na hindi po itanong kung lumusob kayo sa baha or nakagat kayo ng daga. Baka hindi po iyon itanong ng ating mga barangay health workers or iyong nurse or doctor sa barangay. So maganda na po iyon na tayo, kasi alam natin na baka tayo magka-leptospirosis kasi umuulan-ulan na ngayon... Hindi po magagalit iyong mga doktor or nurse. In fact po, gusto namin iyon pag sinabi po niyo iyon para ma-prevent po iyong mga komplikasyon na sobrang lubha, pwede ho kayong mamatay. And sayang po kasi isang gamot, isang gamutan lang minsan until three to five days lang, maiiwasan na po iyong ating komplikasyon,&quot; Danguilan said. (It&#x27;s possible that health workers like barangay nurses or doctors might not always ask if you waded through floodwaters or were bitten by rats. So it&#x27;s good for us to inform them, especially now that it&#x27;s the rainy season and we might be at risk of leptospirosis. Doctors or nurses won&#x27;t be upset; in fact, they&#x27;ll appreciate it because early reporting helps prevent severe complications that could be life-threatening. It&#x27;s important because sometimes, with just one medication regimen for three to five days, we can prevent serious complications.)

The Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 878 leptospirosis cases from January 1 to June 15 this year, with 84 deaths.

The Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 878 leptospirosis cases from January 1 to June 15 this year, with 84 deaths.

Public told to avoid wading through floodwaters as leptospirosis cases rise

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Public told to avoid wading through floodwaters as leptospirosis cases rise

Arra Perez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 27, 2024 08:13 PM PHT

Read More:

Leptospirosis

treatment

prevention

DOH

rainy season

health

NKTI

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