Bulacan records 30 cases of leptospirosis

CITY OF MALOLOS — Bulacan province has recorded 30 cases of leptospirosis and six related deaths since January, the Bulacan Provincial Health Office (PHO) reported on Friday, August 19.

The City of San Jose del Monte had the most cases with nine infections, followed by Hagonoy and San Miguel with three each. Balagtas, Marilao, Obando and Pandi towns have two cases each, and Bustos, City of Malolos, City of Meycauayan, Plaridel, San Ildefonso, Sta. Maria, and San Rafael have one each.

The six deaths were recorded in the City of San Jose del Monte and Hagonoy with two each, and the City of Meycauayan and Pandi with one case each.

Dr. Edwin Tecson, Bulacan PHO head, said the total of 30 cases this year is 150 percent higher compared to only 12 cases recorded in the same period last year.

The ages of those infected were 1 to 60 years old, but most of the cases were aged 21 to 30. Tecson said 87 percent of the affected are male and only 17 percent are female.

Tecson said an individual acquires leptospirosis through open wounds exposed to floods and stagnant waters contaminated by leptospira bacteria found in the urine of animals, particularly rats.

Patricia Ann Alvaro, PHO health education and promotion officer 2, reminded residents living in areas prone to floods and stagnant waters to immediately seek medical attention when they experience fever, muscle pain, headache, and red eyes.

Governor Daniel Fernando advised farmers and residents dealing with floods to regularly use plastic boots to protect them from possible infection.

Meanwhile, Bulacan’s dengue cases were earlier reported to have reached nearly 11,000.

Fernando also ordered all mayors and barangay (village) chiefs to clean canals and waterways to prevent water stagnation. Stagnant waters are also breeding areas for mosquitoes that are carriers of dengue disease.

He also called on the residents to maintain the cleanliness of their surroundings.

READ: DOH records 1,178 cases of leptospirosis in 2022