Zamboanga City records 7 leptospirosis deaths

ZAMBOANGA CITY--The City Health Office has advised residents to avoid wading through floodwaters to avoid contracting leptospirosis.

Dr. Dulce Amor Dagalea-Miravite, city health officer, on Wednesday issued the advice as her office has recorded 21 cases of leptospirosis with seven deaths for the first semester of the year.

“If they cannot avoid (wading in flood), they must use personal protective equipment, such as boots,” Miravite said.

She said the number of cases for this year’s first semester is quite alarming since it is triple than the seven cases recorded last year.

Miravite said five of the seven mortalities recorded since January this year were males and the remaining two were females. Two of them were from Barangay Sta. Catalina, two from Mercedes while Sangali, Guiwan and Upper Calarian recorded on case each.

The ages of this year’s leptospirosis patients ranged from 19 to 60 years old.

She advised the public to seek immediate medical attention once they manifest signs and symptoms of leptospirosis like fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, cough, and rashes.

Leptospirosis is a disease caused by leptospira bacteria. One can be afflicted with the disease through open-wound contact or ingesting rat-urine contaminated water.

Miravite said the local health office provides free prophylaxis for leptospirosis. (PNA)