Photo courtesy of MDRRMO Sta. Barbara
Six people died from leptospirosis in the Ilocos Region as health authorities recorded 83 cases from Jan. 1 to Aug. 8, prompting renewed warnings against exposure to potentially contaminated floodwaters.
Data from the Department of Health-Ilocos Region showed Pangasinan accounted for most infections with 52 cases, followed by La Union with 13, Ilocos Norte with 12 and Ilocos Sur with six.
Despite the fatalities, the regional case count was 53 percent lower than the 177 infections recorded during the same period last year.
The DOH nevertheless urged residents to take precautions as heavy rains and flooding could increase exposure to water contaminated with the urine of infected animals, particularly rats.
Rheuel Bobis, head of the Regional Communicable Disease Cluster, advised people who could not avoid floodwaters to wear waterproof boots and thoroughly wash exposed areas with soap and clean water afterward.
Bobis also warned against taking doxycycline or other antibiotics without medical advice, saying post-exposure treatment depended on the type and extent of a person’s exposure and should be determined by a health professional.
Health authorities advised people exposed to floodwaters to watch for fever, headache, muscle or calf pain, chills, vomiting, abdominal pain, red eyes and yellowing of the skin or eyes, as symptoms could emerge days or weeks after contact.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can spread when contaminated water or soil enters the body through cuts, wounds or other openings in the skin, prompting the DOH to advise residents to avoid unnecessary contact with floodwaters and seek medical attention if symptoms develop.