(Photo courtesy of the Quezon City government)
Quezon City recorded a 138-percent increase in leptospirosis cases from Aug. 5 to 18, pushing the number above the city’s alert threshold amid continued rains brought by the southwest monsoon (Habagat).
The Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division (QCESD) recorded 62 new cases and five deaths during the two-week period, involving patients aged four to 74, with a median age of 31.
Of the 62 cases, 44 were male, while those affected included seven construction workers, three students, two bicycle drivers, two security guards, one garbage collector, and one delivery rider.
From Jan. 1 to Aug. 18, the city recorded 197 leptospirosis cases and 24 deaths, according to QCESD surveillance monitoring.
Barangay Commonwealth recorded the highest number of cases during the two-week period with eight, followed by Payatas and Batasan Hills with four cases each.
U.P. Campus, Bagong Silangan, and San Antonio each recorded three cases.
The Quezon City Health Department urged residents to avoid unnecessary swimming or wading in floodwaters and to wear appropriate protective footwear and clothing if exposure cannot be avoided.
Those exposed to floodwater were advised to immediately wash thoroughly with clean water and soap and monitor themselves for symptoms such as fever, headache, yellowing of the skin or eyes, and muscle pain, particularly in the legs.
Residents who develop symptoms after floodwater exposure were urged to immediately seek consultation at the nearest health center or hospital.
Quezon City health centers offer free post-exposure prophylaxis using doxycycline, but residents were reminded not to take antibiotics without medical consultation and a prescription.