Public warned vs. disease outbreak amid rains, flooding
2024-Sep-14 12:00
2024-Sep-15 02:44
FLOODING. A man wades through floodwaters in a low-lying village in Siaton, Negros Oriental on Thursday (Sept. 12, 2024). Health authorities have cautioned the public against disease outbreaks such as leptospirosis and dengue during rains and flooding. (PNA/PDRRMO)
DUMAGUETE CITY – The Provincial Health Office (PHO) in Negros Oriental is urging the public to stay vigilant against diseases that may trigger an outbreak amid rains and floods in the coming months, an official said Friday.
Dr. Liland Estacion, PHO chief, issued a memorandum to all city and municipal health officers to be on guard against diseases and illnesses that will "arise from the effects and consequences of mild to heavy rainfalls and tropical storms."
Water-borne diseases such as gastrointestinal flu, influenza, dengue, and leptospirosis are most common during rainy days, Estacion said.
She also advised the public to stay indoors and avoid floodwaters that may carry harmful bacteria, especially now that continued rains and flooding affect many parts of the province.
The local health officials in the towns and cities are asked to maintain the availability of supplies and medicines and to immediately report significant findings.
Estacion assured that health emergency management units and teams are ready to respond and deliver essential health services.
Meanwhile, the PHO's latest weekly monitoring report showed that dengue cases continue to rise in Negros Oriental.
From Jan. 1 to Sept. 7, the province logged 3,563 cases with six deaths, or 249 percent higher than the 1,021 cases with three deaths during the same period last year.
Estacion said no new deaths related to dengue were reported since the last case in August. (PNA)