DOH declares leptospirosis outbreak in parts of Metro Manila

The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday declared leptospirosis outbreak in some parts of Metro Manila following the spike of cases in the recent weeks.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III revealed this in an interview with CNN Philippines, citing that the current number of leptospirosis cases is higher than the average in the last five years.

Affected barangays include those in Quezon City, Taguig, Pasig, Parañaque, Navotas, Mandaluyong, and Malabon, Duque said.

“These are already considered outbreaks because they have already breached the epidemic threshold, which means that the cases reported now in these cities and barangays – as I have stated them one by one – they have already gone past the number or the average number for the last 5 years,” the Health Secretary added.

At least 234 leptospirosis cases have been reported in Metro Manila since January this year, higher than 146 cases recorded in the same period last year, the latest data from DOH revealed.

The same data showed that as of June 16, a total of 1,040 cases have been recorded nationwide, and 99 reportedly died. Of the reported number of fatalities, 38 were from Metro Manila.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the symptoms of leptospirosis in humans can include: high fever, muscle aches, vomiting, jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), and diarrhea, among others.

The illness may last from a few days, or weeks, or even months, if not treated. /vvp