Number of barangays in Metro Manila with leptospirosis outbreak rises to 28 —DOH

The number of barangays in Metro Manila declared under a leptospirosis outbreak has risen to 28, the Department of Health said Saturday.

These barangays are in the following cities: Quezon City, Taguig City, Pasig City, Parañaque City, Navotas City, Mandaluyong City, Malabon City, Caloocan.

Eighteen of these barangays were earlier placed under a leptospirosis outbreak on Thursday.

The 10 additional barangays declared on Saturday were  in Caloocan City, Duque was quoted as saying in a 24 Oras report, and included Barangay 176 where three cases were recorded.

The Health chief explained that a leptospirosis outbreak is declared in an area if the cases recorded surpassed the average number of cases recorded in the last five years.

Duque also called on local government units to intensify efforts on rodent control, flood control, drainage of stagnant water, and strictly enforce regular garbage collection.

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by the Leptospira bacteria caught typically from contact with rat urine. Symptoms include high fever, muscle pain, eye redness, yellowing of skin, tea colored urine, decreased urine output, cough, diarrhea and vomiting.

Untreated leptospirosis may cause kidney failure, brain damage, massive internal bleeding, and death. —Ted Cordero/KG, GMA News