Tents rise for leptospirosis victims as deaths now 8

IN A SIGN of how serious the health issue in Olongapo City is, Health Secretary Enrique Ona visits patients suffering from leptospirosis at the James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital on Wednesday. ROBERT GONZAGA/INQUIRER CENTRAL LUZON

OLONGAPO CITY—The Philippine National Red Cross (PRC) has set up tents outside the James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital (JLGMH) here to accommodate more leptospirosis patients, as the death toll in the city and Subic town rose to eight on Thursday.

Hospital records showed that leptospirosis patients continue to seek treatment, increasing the number of cases to about 300, more than two weeks after the city was submerged by floods brought by southwest monsoon-enhanced rains on Sept. 23.

Edward Buena, administrator of the PRC Olongapo chapter, said the air-conditioned tents outside the hospital would ease treatment. He said nurses have also been placed on 12-hour shifts.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona inspected the city’s hospitals on Thursday and said the outbreak had “peaked.”

“The number of admission since [Thursday] morning was just one [patient]. So after a surge [on Wednesday], we expect that [the number of leptospirosis patients] will already go down,” Ona told reporters here.

He said rats that thrive in the city’s sewers and slum areas and a poor garbage disposal system may be the reasons for the outbreak.

The Department of Health said leptospirosis is an infection commonly transmitted to humans from water contaminated by animal urine, usually rats, and comes in contact with cuts or wounds, eyes or with the mucous membranes.

“Out of a total of 296 [cases in the city and nearby areas], eight had died. We are fortunate that leptospirosis is still very sensitive to antibiotics,” Ona said.

Mayor Rolen Paulino said the city government has started clean-up operations.

“The flooding really was unusual. All of the [leptospirosis] patients live near the river,” he said.

Ona said keeping the environment clean should be the city’s top priority to contain the rat population and prevent diseases.

OFFICIALS of NGCP distribute relief goods to victims of floods in Olongapo City and Zambales. The distribution is part of the power transmission firm’s relief operations for the flood victims. CONTRIBUTED PHOT

“There are a few storms [expected before year ends]. Maybe there will be more rainfall. We can’t be sure which areas will be flooded [so we need to] be better prepared,” he said.

The city health department declared a leptospirosis outbreak on Tuesday as the number of patients exceeded 200.

Hospital officials said most of those afflicted with the disease are males, between 20 and 65 years old, who may have been exposed to contaminated water and mud as they cleaned their homes after the flood.

PRC chair Richard Gordon, a former mayor of Olongapo, said the PRC sent over 100 beds to the JLGMH because the hospital did not have enough to accommodate patients.

In a statement, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said it, too, distributed food packs and other relief goods to victims of floods in Olongapo, other Zambales areas and Bataan.

The NGCP statement said at least 6,000 families received the goods as part of the power transmission firm’s relief operations. Robert Gonzaga, Inquirer Central Luzon