100 suspected cases of leptospirosis being monitored

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City health department is monitoring more than a hundred suspected cases of leptospirosis in the city in the aftermath of last week’s heavy floods.

Dr. Antonieta Inumerable, the QC health department head, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that a survey of health centers, particularly in areas heavily affected by floods, showed that more than 100 adults had contracted fever and were exposed to floodwaters.

Inumerable said that the suspected cases have been administered prophylaxes in case they have been exposed to floodwaters contaminated with rat urine and feces.

Symptoms of the leptospirosis infection, she pointed out, would not immediately manifest. “Leptospirosis has an incubation period of one to two weeks, so we would not know if a person has been infected until after that period.”

Inumerable revealed that from the period of January to July this year, 33 persons were found to be infected with leptospirosis. Of the number, 11 people died from the disease.

“We would know if there are more cases of (leptospirosis) infection next month,” she told the Inquirer, reminding the public, particularly those nursing wounds, not to wade in floodwaters if they could avoid it so as not to expose themselves to bacterial infection and other illnesses.