Philippines: Leptospirosis cases

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Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquir...46-leptospirosis-cases-reported-in-Rizal-town

46 leptospirosis cases reported in Rizal town

By Beverly T. Natividad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:33:00 10/15/2009

Filed Under: Health, Diseases

MANILA, Philippines--Health officials in Rizal province are closely monitoring a barangay in one of their towns after a resident died of leptospirosis.

Provincial health officer Dr. Illuminado Victoria, in a report to Rizal Gov. Casimiro Ynares III, identified the victim as Napoleon Lardizabal, 58, a resident of Barangay Burgos in Rodriguez town.

Lardizabal was first admitted at H-Ville Hospital after he showed symptoms of the potentially fatal disease. He was later transferred to Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City where he died last week, Victoria said.

He added that they were also closely monitoring 46 other suspected leptospirosis cases in the same barangay. Among those believed to have contracted the disease were young people aged 12 to 16 years old.

Of the total number of cases, 10 have already been admitted to hospitals and subjected to testing, Victoria said.

He added that they have warned residents against engaging in activities that could expose them to waterborne diseases, including leptospirosis.

In addition, residents have been advised not to drink water that has not been boiled or treated.

Meanwhile, acting Rodriguez Mayor Jonas Cruz said they were continuously giving out medicines to residents in areas which remain underwater to prevent the spread of diseases.

He added that they have also deployed teams to assist residents in cleaning up their neighborhood since a dirty environment could lead to an outbreak.

Victoria said that leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that is commonly transmitted to humans when water that has been contaminated by animal urine comes into contact with unhealed wounds in the skin, eyes or through the nose.

Symptoms include high fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, conjunctivitis (red eyes), diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice, anemia and at times, rashes.

 

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Re: Philippines: Leptospirosis cases

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/225055/leptospirosis-deaths-hit-89

Leptospirosis deaths hit 89
By SAMUEL RAPHAEL P. MEDENILLA
October 16, 2009, 5:31pm

The number of reported leptospirosis cases in Metro Manila and other areas in Luzon that were affected by floods has reached 1,027, with 89 fatalities as of Thursday, the Department of Health said Friday.

Leptospirosis outbreaks were declared in barangays Malanday, Tumana and Conception I in Marikina City where there are 82 cases. However, Quezon City declared the most number of cases with 122 patients infected.

Other severely affected areas include Rizal province, which also registered a significant number of deaths from tropical storm ?Ondoy?.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease which could be contracted by humans when exposed to the floodwaters containing the urine of infected animals like rats, dogs and pigs. Its symptoms include vomiting, headaches, chills, and muscle aches and could lead to jaundice and kidney damage if not treated. It has an incubation period of 4 to 14 days.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said the increase of leptospirosis cases was caused by the widespread flooding caused by the two major storms that devastated huge areas of Luzon, including Metro Manila.

He warned the public to avoid wading in the fetid flood water to avoid being infected by leptospirosis and other water-borne diseases like typhoid fever, cholera, and hepatitis.

Duque said the government has at its disposal a large supply of prophylaxis, a drug which cures leptospirosis and would be immediately administered to infected individuals.

The DOH has projected a continuous increase in leptospirosis cases in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon that are still under water.

Meanwhile, Malaca?ang said the government is hiring more nurses and health workers to deal with the rising number of leptospirosis cases.

President Arroyo has authorized the DoH to deploy more teams to curb the outbreak of water-borne disease in calamity areas, the Palace said.

?The Department of Health has been directed by the President to step up this campaign, to field more health teams, and even to employ additional nurses and health workers under the NARS program to address the problem,? Press Secretary Cerge Remonde told reporters in the Palace last Thursday.

Launched in February this year, Project NARS (Nurses Assigned in Rural Service) aims to deploy ?warriors of wellness? in poor communities. The program offers job experience to unemployed registered nurses in the country.

Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello said Duque had to cut short his participation in the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting in the Palace last Thursday to carry out the President?s orders.

Bello said Duque plans to meet with concerned local executives in flooded communities to address the problem.

Duque said state-run PhilHealth will provide free medical assistance to members with leptospirosis, adding that the health department is still coordinating with private hospitals to extend the same aid.

In Bulacan, the Provincial Health Office has recorded its first leptospirosis death, plus at least 12 others hospitalized.

Dr. Joycelyn Gomez, Bulacan provincial health officer, identified the fatality as Mark Anthony Jutara, 21, of Barangay Saog, Marilao town.

Jutara?s relatives claimed that he contracted the fatal disease last Sept. 27 after helping his flood affected neighbors, during which he was wounded by a sharp object.

?Noong nakaraang Miyerkules nagsuka at nagtae ang anak ko at hanggang sa hindi na makayanan ang katawan. Bukod pa rito, napuna nila ang paninilaw ng mata at balat ni Mark, at hindi na rin umiihi,? according to Jutara?s mother Virginia.

In Rodriguez, Rizal, acting Mayor Jonas Cruz also said a 28-year-old male from Barangay Balite and an adult female from Dela Costa 5, Barangay Burgos also died from leptospirosis. (With reports from Genalyn Kabiling and Franco Regala)

 

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Re: Philippines: Leptospirosis cases

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/225218/leptospirosis-cases-rise-1-336-93-deaths-reported

Leptospirosis cases rise to 1, 336; 93 deaths reported
By SHIANEE MAMANGLU
October 17, 2009, 8:11pm

The death toll from leptospirosis climbed to 93 after four more deaths were reported from Metro Manila hospitals during the weekend, the Department of Health (DoH) said on Saturday.

The number of cases also increased to 1, 336 from 1, 027 recorded last October 15, or an addition of 309 new cases in barely two days.

Dr. Yolly Oliveros, director of the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDPC), said the additional cases and deaths were received by the DoH-National Epidemiology Center (NEC) last October 16 from different state-run and private hospitals in the metropolis.

?The rapid increase in the number of casualties is inevitable considering the volume of water that typhoon Ondoy dumped on most parts of Metro Manila last September 26,? Oliveros said in an interview.

?If the NEC projection of (leptospirosis) attack rate of 10 to 25 percent is right, we can expect some 4, 000 people to be admitted for confinement, and more deaths in the coming days or weeks,?? she stressed.

Earlier, the health department declared an outbreak of the flood-borne disease in barangays Tumana, Malanday, and Concepcion I in Marikina, as the city was one of those severely submerged in floodwater.

Aside from Marikina, the cities of Pasig and Taguig, and Rizal province also suffered severely from the onslaught of Ondoy.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said that the outbreak was declared because Marikina has zero cases in 2008.

Since Friday, the DoH had given away free ?doxycycline? antibiotic drugs in Marikina as a prophylactic or means of prevention to exposed individuals.

?Ang ibig sabihin ng prophylaxis, kahit walang sakit bibigyan pa rin natin sila ng antibiotics dahil nasa ??high risk?? category sila. Lahat ng residente na nandon sa high risk areas ay bibigyan ng 200 miligrams of antibiotic once a week,?? explained Oliveros.

Given the flood magnitude, she said, the DoH will likely spend about R50-million on prophylaxis alone.

?First time tayo (DoH) magbibigay ng prophylaxis on a wide range. We have asked the World Health Organization (WHO) if they did the same, pero wala daw,? she said.

She clarified, however, that giving of prophylaxis is part of the management of leptospirosis.

The health official urged the public to protect themselves against flood-borne diseases by wearing protective clothing such as ?boots?? and washing the exposed parts immediately when wading could not be avoided.

Frequent washing of hands with soap and water, she added are crucial in preventing others diseases.

Leptospirosis is spread through animal urine mixed with floodwater. Humans can easily acquire the disease if they have open wounds.

The DoH said an infected person may manifest symptoms two-weeks after wading in filthy water. Among the more common symptoms are cough, cold, and body malaise. If not diagnosed early enough, it could lead to meningitis, liver damage, or death.

 

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Re: Philippines: Leptospirosis cases

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/225657/leptospirosis-cases-metro

Leptospirosis cases in Metro up
By ED MAHILUM, WILLIE CATAPAT, and ELLSON QUISMORIO
October 20, 2009, 6:31pm

One person died while seven others were hospitalized in Malabon City due to leptospirosis, health officials said on Tuesday.

Officials said that those affected were residents of Barangay Tonsuya, one of the barangays affected by typhoons ?Ondoy? and ?Pepeng.??

Newly designated health officer Dr. Isauro Garcia, who was appointed by Mayor Tito Oreta last week, said that leptospirosis is now one of the top concerns of the city health office.

Dr. Billy Goco, former health officer, also said that the local health office will intensify various measures in city barangays, aside from monitoring other water-borne diseases such as dengue, cholera, and pneumonia.

So far, more than 1,000 persons have either died or hospitalized due to leptospirosis nationwide.

City health officials have advised residents to practice proper disposal of garbage, and cleanliness to avoid an increase of water-borne diseases during rainy season.

The health office is always prepared to implement several measures to address the people's need like disinfectants, chlorine, sodium hydrochloride solution for treating patients.

In Caloocan City, the area is still leptospirosis-free but city officials assured residents that the city government will extend assistance to patients who would acquire the flood-borne disease.

Mayor Enrico "Recom" Echiverri said yesterday the President Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Medical Center (PDMMC), the city?s premiere government hospital, is fully equipped and more than ready to effectively handle leptospirosis cases if ever an outbreak occurs in the city.

?The city government will also provide medicines for the residents who would be afflicted with leptospirosis,? he said.

The city chief executive said the PDMMMC has allotted wards, raised the number of its staff and has sufficient medicines to meet the needs of the patients.

Dr. Racquel So-Sayo, city health department chief, said the city continues to be leptospirosis-free but will continue to conduct massive information campaigns against leptospirosis and other water-borne diseases such as typhoid fever, cholera and hepatitis in the city?s 188 barangays.

Earlier, the mayor directed the City Engineer?s Office, Environmental Sanitation Services and Community Relations Office to carry out intensified clearing operations and immediate upgrading of canals and waterways to avert flooding in the city.

In Muntinlupa, the local government said it will shoulder the treatment and hospitalization of all residents afflicted with leptospirosis, a bacterial disease that has shot up in incidence because of persisting floods.

Mayor Aldrin San Pedro said infected constituents will be treated free of charge at the city-owned Ospital ng Muntinlupa in Alabang.

Muntinlupa is among the cities in Metro Manila still submerged in floodwater, specifically in villages situated near Laguna de Bay. It was recalled that the lake overflowed due to rains bought by tropical storm ?Ondoy? last month, dumping a large volume of water into the city?s streets.

The City Health Office (CHO) said that 38 cases of leptospirosis have been recorded in city, including two "full-blown" cases. Four patients are confined at the Ospital ng Muntinlupa.

Two persons ? one from Bayanan and one from Alabang ? have died of leptospirosis, the CHO said.

 

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Re: Philippines: Leptospirosis cases

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSMAN400133

Philippines seeks help to stop disease outbreak
Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:17am EDT


MANILA, Oct 21 (Reuters) - The Philippines has appealed for international aid to stem an outbreak of a bacterial disease that has killed more than 130 people in areas still flooded after deadly typhoons, health officials said on Wednesday.

The Philippines is still recovering from two recent typhoons -- Ketsana and Parma -- that brought record-high rainfall that flooded Manila and large swathes of farms in northern provinces. More than 850 people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. [ID:nMAN480820].

Three weeks after typhoon Ketsana, wide areas have remained flooded in and around Manila, causing a surge in cases of fatal leptospirosis in poor communities, said Enrique Tayag, head of the health department's national epidemiology centre.

More than 130 people had died and nearly 2,000 remained in government hospitals due to leptospirosis, a bacterial infection caused by exposure to animal urine. The bacteria are common in tropical countries with heavy rainfall and frequent flooding.

"We have already sent an SOS to the international community because this is one of the biggest outbreak of leptospirosis not just in the Philippines, but in the world," Tayag told lawmakers at a public hearing in Manila.

He said about 680 cases of leptospirosis were reported every year. From Oct. 1-15, a total of 1,887 cases have been reported in 15 hospitals in Manila region, Tayag said, adding the health department needed about $1 million worth of medicines to contain the disease.

Health authorities said 1.7 million people in Manila and two nearby provinces are at risk because flood waters in these areas are expected to remain until December 2009. The Philippines is bracing for another powerful typhoon in the northern regions on the main island of Luzon, evacuating thousands to avoid death and destruction.

Typhoon Lupit, which means "fierce" in Filipino, was expected to make landfall around the far northern tip of the Luzon region by Thursday and dump more rain on typhoon-weary provinces, said the weather bureau.

Ketsana and Parma damaged or destroyed more than 27 billion pesos ($580 million) in crops and infrastructure. [ID:nSP147596] (Reporting by Manny Mogato; Editing by Alex Richardson)

 

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Re: Philippines: Leptospirosis cases

Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=516328&publicationSubCategoryId=63

Leptospirosis patients to get doxicycline
By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star) Updated October 22, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) will distribute five million doxicycline capsules in 39 barangays in Metro Manila identified with leptospirosis cases.

DOH National Capital Region epidemiologist Dr. Anthony San Juan said the distribution of the doxicycline capsules, an antibiotic drug, would also accompany the prophylactic treatment of infected residents in the effort to contain a possible outbreak.

San Juan added pregnant women and children below eight years old would not be treated due to possible side effects.

San Juan explained doxicylcine is an anti-retroviral treatment primarily used to lessen the likelihood of developing or acquiring a disease. He said the procedure is generally used by medical workers to lessen the risk of getting infected.

At the height of the Influenza A(H1N1) epidemic, doxicycline was administered to infected individuals to help them recover. Health workers and relatives attending to infected patients were also made to take the antibiotic to protect them against getting infected.

Under the plan, two doxicycline capsules would be given to residents who are still affected by flooding.

San Juan said affected residents would have to take the capsules every week until they are no longer exposed to floodwaters.

Those who have had single exposure would be given a single dose, he said.

San Juan said a total of 39 barangays have been identified to have high concentration of leptospirosis cases.

The DOH identified the critical areas in Marikina City with eight barangays, Para?aque City with six barangays; Pasig City and Taguig with five each; Muntinlupa City, Makati City and Pasay City with three each; Caloocan City and Quezon City with two each, and San Juan with the town of Navotas with one each.

San Juan reiterated the warning against wading in floodwater.

?If their area is still submerged in floodwater, it?s better if they can transfer but I know this is not easy. So if they can?t avoid wading through floodwaters, they have to wear protective gears. We should not be complacent when it comes to leptospirosis,? San Juan said.

The DOH said 138 people have died from the total of 1,887 leptospirosis cases reported in Metro Manila as of Oct. 20.

Chief epidemiologist Dr. Enrique Tayag said the outbreak of leptospirosis in Metro Manila is not the highest in the country but the whole world.

According to Tayag, the outbreak prompted Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to issue a distress call for help from the international community to address the problem.

?We have also ready sent an SOS to the international community because this is the one of the biggest outbreaks not just in the Philippines but in the world,? Tayag told the Senate committee investigating the health impact of the two typhoons that ravaged Metro Manila and the provinces of Northern Luzon in the last four weeks.

Tayag said the reported number of leptospirosis cases in Metro Manila is exceedingly high since the average of reported cases from 2004 to 2008 only reached 680 with 40 recorded deaths.

For the period of Oct. 1 to 15 this year alone, the DOH has recorded 1,887 cases in 15 government hospitals alone. A total of 138 people died of the disease, which became prevalent due to the tons of garbage that were washed away with rats during the height of the typhoons.

The spike in leptospirosis cases caught the DOH flatfooted since the agency was cash strapped to deal with the increasing cases of water-borne infection.

Tayag told the Senate committee led by Sen. Loren Legarda that the DOH is still awaiting the release of additional funds from the Department of Budget and Management to deal with the problem.

Tayag also announced the DOH would be distributing doxicycline to areas identified with high cases of leptospirosis.

Tayag said the onset of the two typhoons left the country in the ?acute stages? of extreme health cases.

He said the diseases borne out of the death and destruction left by the two typhoons are the ?indirect? outcome of climate change. ? With Christina Mendez

 

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Re: Philippines: Leptospirosis cases

Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=516997&publicationSubCategoryId=63

Leptospirosis deaths hit 157
By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star) Updated October 24, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Nine more people have died of leptospirosis, bringing the death toll to 157, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

Based on the reports coming from 15 sentinel hospitals, the DOH said that as of Oct. 21, the number of patients also rose to 2,046 after 83 more individuals contracted leptospira, the bacteria that causes leptospirosis.

But according to Dr. Lyndon Leesuy, program manager of the DOH?s Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases, containment efforts should not be focused on leptospirosis alone because there are other illnesses observed in evacuation centers set up in the aftermath of tropical storm ?Ondoy? and typhoon ?Pepeng.?

?We hope that the media, the local government units and other concerned sectors will not focus only on leptospirosis.

We are also (watchful) of other illnesses that may spread in affected areas,? he said.

A DOH report showed that out of the 34,866 people seen in various evacuation centers in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, 54 percent are suffering from acute respiratory illness.

Some 18 percent had skin infections and wounds, 14 percent had acute gastroenteritis, seven percent had influenza-like illness and 0.3 percent had severe acute respiratory illness or pneumonia.

Leesuy, however, clarified that there is no outbreak of these diseases as the DOH had immediately deployed medical teams to attend to affected persons.

He added that there is still no cause for alarm but the public should not be complacent about any type of illness.

?The best is prevention so if they feel any symptoms, they must see a doctor,? Leesuy maintained.

Last Thursday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III stressed that a downtrend on leptospirosis cases has been observed since Oct. 16.

The health chief, however, warned that the downtrend could be reversed when typhoon ?Ramil? brings in heavy rains, as predicted by weather experts.

Duque had asked the public not to be complacent when it comes to leptospirosis by avoiding floodwaters, if possible, or by wearing boots when wading through floods.

 

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Re: Philippines: Leptospirosis cases

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/226414/la-union-lepto-cases-rise-103La Union lepto cases rise to 103

La Union lepto cases rise to 103

By DEXTER A. SEE
October 25, 2009, 5:09pm

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union ? Despite the effort of the national and local governments to prevent an outbreak of the dreaded leptospirosis bacterial infection, the increasing number of individuals seeking medical attention because of the alleged infection could become uncontrollable in the coming months, especially in this province.

This developed as health authorities here reported the number of persons who have been admitted for medical treatment after having been suspected to have the leptospirosis bacteria has increased to 103 and still counting.

At the same time, the number of individuals who allegedly died because of the leptospirosis infection has also increased to seven over the past few days, an indication that the infection is deadly once a person affected with it will not be given immediate medical attention.

Bauang and Aringay towns account for almost 70 percent of the number of reported leptospirosis cases after it suffered too much devastation from the floods caused by typhoon ?Pepeng.?

The leptospirosis bacteria breeds in flood waters which are contaminated by animal urine and it could enter the human body once a person with an open wound is exposed to the floodwaters.

Experts predicted the incubation period of the bacteria is from two to 26 days depending on the immune system of the affected individual.

With the alarming state of the leptospirosis cases in some parts of the province, the regional and provincial offices of the Center for Health Development (CHD) here have already distributed prophylaxis antibiotics to the different municipal and rural health units for distribution to the residents believed to be infected with the dreaded bacteria.

 

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Re: Philippines: Leptospirosis cases

Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/175800/lepto-outbreaks-declared-in-6-pangasinan-la-union-towns

Lepto outbreaks declared in 6 Pangasinan, La Union towns
10/28/2009 | 06:48 PM

The Department of Health is now on heightened alert as it declared outbreaks of leptospirosis in three towns in Pangasinan and three more in La Union on Wednesday.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that as of October 27, there were a total of 2,172 individuals infected with leptospirosis, while 167 have died from the disease.

?This is a heightened alert because the number of leptospirosis has tripled compared to the number of cases last year ? 860 cases from January to end October. This is really an abnormal situation where you have a substantial increase in leptospirosis cases," he said.

Duque said the towns affected by leptospirosis outbreaks are Rosales, Mangaldan and Binmaley in Pangasinan, and Bauang, Aringay, and Naguilian in La Union. Several areas in the two provinces were heavily flooded when Typhoon Pepeng hit northern Luzon in early October.

Health experts have been sent to the affected areas to contain the outbreak, Duque said.

As explained earlier by Dr. Yolanda Oliveros, director of the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDPC), there is an outbreak when the number of cases for a particular area becomes higher than the average number of cases for the last five years. [See: DOH: Leptospirosis spiking in Metro Manila, kills 89]

According to Duque, the outbreak of leptospirosis in Marikina City "has passed already." The city, along with other parts of Metro Manila, was flooded in late September due to Tropical Storm Pepeng.

Despite this, Duque said, ?We are heightening our surveillance system for leptospirosis and dengue all-year round and other diseases that put our people at risk especially where there is lack of sanitation and potable water."

On Tuesday, Duque visited Muntinlupa Elementary School in Muntinlupa, which serves as evacuation center for those displaced by Ondoy. He also visited Barangay dela Paz in Bi?an, Laguna, another affected area.

Duque was accompanied by World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Western Pacific Dr. Shin Young-soo and WHO country representative Dr. Soe Nyunt-u. The international organization had earlier sent a four-person team composed of experts in leptospirosis control, epidemiology and clinical management to assist the DOH in investigating the surge in leptospirosis cases in the Philippines.

?We are working in solidarity with Philippine government and Filipino people in this difficult time. But what I have found is the unique character of the Filipino people, they are never defeated and they always smile. I am sure in the future they will recover in this situation," Shin said. - GMANews.TV