The Muntinlupa City government distributed prophylactic medicines against leptospirosis to residents in areas that are still flooded in the aftermath of severe tropical storm “Paeng.”
According to the Department of Health (DOH), leptospirosis “is an illness transmitted through mud or water contaminated by the urine of infected animals and is characterized by fever, headache, chills, muscle pains (myalgia), conjunctival suffusion (red eyes), and less frequently by meningitis, rash, jaundice (yellowish discoloration of the skin and eyes), or kidney failure.”
According to Dr. Juancho Bunyi, chief of the Muntinlupa City Health Office (CHO), they want to ensure that everyone who wades in flood waters is protected against leptospirosis.
He encouraged residents in flooded areas to wear boots and avoid wading in flood waters if not necessary. He also reminded parents not to let their children bathe or swim in flood waters to avoid getting diarrhea and skin diseases.
To date, the CHO said there is no case of leptospirosis in Muntinlupa but warned about the possible increase in cases of dengue and gastroenteritis.
The Muntinlupa City Council recently placed the city under a state of calamity due to the devastation caused by “Paeng.”