AS SEEN in the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) and San Lazaro Hospital (SLH), more than 500 leptospirosis cases have been recorded by the Department of Health (DOH) in the last six days.
In a televised public briefing, DOH Spokesman Albert Domingo said their operational data indicate that some 523 leptospirosis cases have been reported in DOH hospitals nationwide between August 8 and August 13.
“This was during the time when cases surged in NKTI, San Lazaro, and others,” said Domingo.
Of the 523 cases, he said 81 percent or 423 cases are adults while 19 percent or 100 cases are children.
There were also 43 deaths among the 523 cases, including 41 adults and two children.
“These numbers are operational and not yet added to the epidemiologic tally,” said Domingo.
Aside from NKTI and SLH, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila City and the Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan City also experienced recent surge in leptospirosis cases.
In a separate interview, Herbosa noted how the two hospitals have the same capacity as the NKTI and SLH in handling leptospirosis cases.
“They were also experiencing a lot of surge. We call it a surge of cases,” said Herbosa.
The case uptick had earlier prompted the DOH to order all its National Capital Regionhospitals to activate their Leptospirosis Surge Capacity Plans. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)
