CEBU CITY – Avoid wading through flooded areas.

Health authorities here issued this warning amid the steady increase in leptospirosis, a bacterial infection transmitted through water contaminated by the urine of infected animals, most commonly rats, dogs, and livestock.

Dr. Daisy Villa, head of the Cebu City Health Department (CCHD), said that even before the city was hit by successive typhoons, cases of leptospirosis have steadily increased.

Villa said 93 leptospirosis cases with seven deaths were recorded from January to Oct. 28 this year.

Four more cases were recorded when typhoon ‘’Tino’’ struck last Nov. 4, Villa said.

Despite the rising cases, the city’s situation remains below the alert level and did not escalate into an epidemic.

Villa said this year’s fatality rate is at 18 percent, way below the 21 percent that was recorded in 2024 in which the city recorded eight deaths from 38 cases.

But leptospirosis infections have also increased across the province.

Dr. Mary Ann Josephine Arsenal, officer-in-charge of the Cebu Provincial Health Office (PHO), 117 cases have been recorded as of Nov. 20, including 106 confirmed cases and seven deaths reported from Nov. 1 to 20 alone.

To help avoid infection, floodwater must be treated as potentially contaminated and avoid exposure.

“As much as possible, avoid wading through floodwaters. If there’s no need, avoid going out of the house if it's flooding. If it cannot be avoided, wear boots when going out,” Villa said.

If suspected of being infected, one must seek immediate medical attention, Villa said.

Authorities warned that if left untreated, infection can lead to kidney failure, internal bleeding, and death.