BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera office of the Department of Health (DOH-CAR) said that leptospirosis cases in the region increased by thirty eight percent for the first five weeks of this year compared to the recorded cases during the same period last year.
Victoria Malicdan, Nurse V of the DOH-CAR’s regional epidemiology and surveillance unit, said that farmers are the ones mostly affected by the dreaded leptospirosis cases that were documented in the region during the present and previous reckoning periods.
She added that from January 1 to February 1, 2025 there were some 22 leptospirosis cases that were recorded in the different parts of the region compared to the 16 cases during the same period last year.
For this year, there were no leptospirosis-related deaths that were reported unlike the previous year where there was one death due to the deadly zoonotic disease.
Apayao had the highest number of reported leptospirosis cases with 14 followed by Kalinga with 5 cases, Abra – 2 cases and Baguio – 1 case while Benguet, Ifugao and Mountain Province had no reported cases.
Last year, Apayao had the highest number of similar cases with 7 followed by Kalinga with 4 cases, Baguio City and Ifugao – 2 cases each and Benguet – 1 cases while Abra and Mountain Province had no leptospirosis cases.
Malicdan claimed that 14 or 63 percent of the afflicted individuals were farmers while the rest of those that contracted the dreaded illness came from various sectors of the society.
Further, the age range of the affected individuals based on the data made available by the DOH-Car is from 8 to 65 years old.
Health experts stated that people exposed to infected pee water or soil may experience a high temperature or feel hot and shivery, headache, been feeling sick or being sick, diarrhea, , body itches and pains, red eyes and a loss of appetite.
Leptospirosis is a bacteria that affects people and animals. It is spread in the urine or pee of infected animals. Its risks often increase after rains or floods when people have contact with contaminated water or soil and if their animals may have leptospirosis, then they must already seek the assistance of health care providers. By Dexter A. See
