Government hospitals nationwide have enough supplies of medicines, as the country braces for a possible surge of leptospirosis cases in flooded areas in Bulacan and Pampanga, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in anticipation of the increase in leptospirosis cases, the health department had already sent antibiotics to Ilocos before Typhoon Egay pounded the region.
Central Luzon also has enough stocks of doxycycline, he said. Herbosa also said the DOH is expecting leptospirosis infections to spike, due to massive flooding triggered by monsoon rains and Typhoons Egay and Falcon.
Herbosa, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said he expects a rise in leptospirosis infections.
“Flood waters are dirty. If you tend to wade in deep floods even if you don’t have to, you may get infected,” Herbosa said.
The DOH chief also said that those with open wounds who waded in flood-hit areas have a higher chance of getting leptospirosis.
Herbosa advises those who may have symptoms like chills, body pain, and headache to see a doctor right away.
“If you have wounds on your feet, you should not be wading in the flood. See a doctor if you were forced to wade. Show your physician your wounds so he or she could prescribe you medicines,” he said.
Herbosa also noted leptospirosis symptoms often show one to two weeks after a massive flood hits any given place.
The bacteria causing the disease usually comes from rat urine which may mix with flood waters.