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Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Health office: Leptospirosis cases up by 100%
By Carlo P. Mallo
DAVAO CITY -- The Department of Health (DOH)-Southern Mindanao said the cases of leptospirosis in the city has increased by more than 100 percent for the six months of the year compared to the entire year of 2007.
"From January to June, we had about 21 cases of leptospirosis," said Dr. Rogelio Peñera, a medical specialist of DOH. For the entire year of 2007, only 10 cases of leptospirosis have been reported.
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Leptospirosis or Weil's disease is a bacterial infection that causes the enlargement of spleen, jaundice, and nephritis. It can be transmitted to humans by exposure of unhealed blisters and open wounds to water contaminated with animal urine.
These data were presented by the DOH-Southern Mindanao during Monday's Kapihan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao's Café Rysus.
The health department also reported an increase in the number of dengue cases in Southern Mindanao.
For the first quarter of 2008, there were already 371 cases of dengue reported in Davao City; 75 in Davao del Norte; 29 in Davao del Sur; four in Davao Oriental; and two in Compostela Valley.
However, the figures were based solely on the monitoring conducted by the DOH through their Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, thus may not have included other unreported cases.
"There was a six percent increase compared to last year," said Peñera.
Engineer Antonette Ebol, Dengue Program Coordinator of DOH-Southern Mindanao, said they are expecting the number of dengue cases to rise from this time on with the onset of the rainy season.
Dengue is spread by female aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
The health department said ensuring that one's surrounding is free of stagnant water and damp, which are favorite mosquito breeding grounds, could prevent dengue.
It also discouraged the public from wading through flooded roads to avoid leptospirosis. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cebu. (June 24, 2008 issue)
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