THE number of leptospirosis cases at San Lazaro Hospital in Manila has risen to 104, resulting from flood exposure during recent heavy rains.
The death toll has also increased to 13, including a 16-year-old patient who succumbed to acute renal failure caused by the disease.
Dr. David Suplico of San Lazaro Hospital attributed the surge in cases to a lack of public awareness regarding the availability of free prophylactic medication at government hospitals and barangay health centers. He stated that most of the 104 patients did not receive doxycycline, an antibiotic used to combat the Leptospira bacteria.
Dr. Suplico emphasized that leptospirosis, caused by bacteria found in rat urine, can be contracted even without flood exposure. Walking barefoot on soil contaminated with rat urine can also lead to infection.
However, he stressed that leptospirosis is treatable and fatalities are preventable with timely medical attention. He urged individuals with a history of flood exposure and subsequent fever to seek immediate medical care.
While leptospirosis cases have been increasing in Metro Manila, Dr. Suplico reported that the number of admissions is beginning to plateau. The National Kidney Transplant Institute in Quezon City has converted its gym into a ward for leptospirosis patients, currently accommodating over 50 patients, with more than 20 remaining in the makeshift ward.
