MANILA–The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday said it is still on heightened surveillance and monitoring on leptospirosis cases in the country especially with the rainy season.
“We never let our guards down,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III in an interview with the media as he cited that exposure to floods is likely to happen during “wet months.”
Based on the week 26 monitoring of leprospirosis cases by DOH Epidemiology Bureau, covering the period June 24-30, 2018 alone, a total of 270 cases were recorded.
Bracing for the expected rise of leptospirosis cases, Duque said they have downloaded a total of 130,000 capsules of doxycycline in National Capital Region health centers wherein the highest number of cases were recorded.
He added that he already directed the hospitals to continue to be alert in responding to leptospirosis and dengue cases as well.
“I told them, that part of your job. Rainy season is here and dengue and leptospirosis cases are usually rising on this period,” he said.
He also clarified that directives on activation of dengue fast lanes is still in place in the onset of the rainy season.
“Wala akong pinag-uutos na i-terminate (I did not issue any order to terminate) the dengue fastlanes,” he said. (By Leilani Junio/PNA)
