If you have any of the risk factors, a small splash to the eye of water contaminated with rodent discharge would be enough to give you leptospirosis, an official from the Department of Health (DoH) said on Friday.
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“If you are medium risk, have a wound in your feet, wade through flood waters, and get splashed in the eye even with just a small drop, you will contract leptospirosis, much more if you drink contaminated water,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd said in Filipino.
The DoH declared on Thursday a leptospirosis outbreak in 18 villages in Metro Manila. The National Capital Region has 368 cases of leptospirosis, with 52 deaths, from January 1 to June 3, this year alone.
In an interview aired over ABS-CBN’s morning show “Umagang Kay Ganda,” Duque appealed to those who were exposed with contaminated water to immediately visit the doctor and drink the proper antibiotic medicine against leptospirosis.
Duque also reiterated his call to Local Government Units to conduct clean up drives, ensure the timely collection of garbage, and keep their localities flood free.
The symptoms of leptospirosis include fever, headache, chills, muscle pain, eye redness and vomiting.
Leptospirosis may also come from the urine of cats, pigs, goats and contaminated mud.