Leptospirosis cases rise in Manila; Red Cross deploys personnel

Leptospirosis cases continue to rise in Manila following the flooding caused by the combined effects of the Southwest Monsoon and tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong recently.

At the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center in Malate, the number of leptospirosis cases went up to 77 on Friday, August 8, from the 66 cases on Thursday, August 7.

Out of the 77 cases, 66 are adults while 11 are pediatric cases.

Forty-four of the 77 cases are severe, with 27 on dialysis and nine intubated. Meanwhile, 25 are moderate cases and eight are mild.

Thirty-seven of the 77 cases were already discharged, while eight have died.

San Lazaro Hospital is second among the Department of Health (DOH) hospitals nationwide that have a high number of leptospirosis cases.

Red Cross

Meanwhile, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) chairman Richard Gordon ordered the deployment of its medical team to San Lazaro Hospital in Sta. Cruz on Saturday to assist in handling leptospirosis cases.

The hospital sent an urgent request to PRC for assistance due to the increasing number of leptospirosis patients.

The PRC sent 16 personnel from the PRC Port Hemodialysis Center and PRC Manila Chapter, including nurses and senior nursing students, to help in San Lazaro Hospital's ward and hemodialysis unit.

The Red Cross personnel monitor patients, give them their medicines, and perform dialysis in critical cases.

The PRC advised the public to avoid wading through floodwaters if possible.

If this cannot be avoided, one should wear protective boots, clean and cover wounds, and seek medical attention when there are symptoms, it said. —KG, GMA Integrated News