Baguio bracing for leptospirosis scare

THE CITY Health Office is gearing up for Leptospirosis outbreak.

This was stressed by City Health Services Office Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit Head Dr.Donnabel Tubera at the City Hall on July 3.

But cases of leptospirosis have dropped to only one from January to June this year according to Tubera compared to the four reported form the same period last year.

“During the rainy season, we give prophylaxis through the different health centers for free to treat the infected, we have a stockpile of medicines for the treatment,” said Tubera.

In Apayao, three cases were recorded last year although the province has no history of flooding, leptospirosis were acquired by eating molluscs. These rare cases are still going to be documented by the World Health Organization (WHO), so for now the transmission of this disease is through skin, said Tubera.

According to Tubera, in a bid to control the disease, the health office is set to conduct inspection on very establishment on their pest control and sanitation.

“The plan that we have last week is going back to public health fundamentals like sanitation, safe water, having zero open defecation because these are the underlying maintenance of infectious diseases. We could prevent a lot of diseases by washing our hands, respiratory etiquette, good sanitation practices, personal hygiene, vaccination or immunization, and water safety. We just have to intensify, and look onto the lapses,” she added.

Leptospirosis is a rare bacterial infection that affects human and animals caused by urines from different rodents such as rats. It can pass from animals to humans when an open wound exposed to water, or soil that has been contaminated with the disease.

This could lead to fatal conditions such as Weil’s disease or meningitis. The bacteria can also enter the body through the eyes or mucous membranes transmitted by different kinds of rodents that includes rats, skunks, opossums, foxes and raccoons.