Dateline: Baguio City: Leptospirosis cases in the Cordillera Administrative Region rose by 15% in the first eight months of the year. The Department of Health-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOH-CAR) recorded 196 cases from January through August, up from 171 during the same period last year, DOH-CAR Communications Management Unit head Wyb Lumpias said.
According to Philippines News Agency, the patients ranged in age from 1 to 85, with a median age of 29. Most were male, with 153 cases, or 78 percent, while 57, or 29 percent, were farmers. 'Leptospirosis can be contracted through contact with floodwater, soil or mud contaminated with the urine of infected animals, particularly rats,' the DOH-CAR said in a post on its official social media page.
The agency advised people regularly exposed to floodwaters to seek medical advice and take precautions against the bacterial infection. Residents are also told to avoid wading in floodwaters whenever possible. Those who cannot avoid exposure should wear boots and protective clothing, cover wounds with waterproof dressings and wash exposed skin thoroughly with soap and clean water afterward.
The agency regularly provides doxycycline to local government units, particularly during the rainy season when leptospirosis cases are more likely to increase, he said. Baguio City has recorded an increase in cases, logging 28 cases from Jan. 1 to Aug. 29, up 22 percent from 23 cases during the same period in 2025, said Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes, a city health official.
Four deaths were recorded, including one laboratory-confirmed leptospirosis case. Three others showed clinical symptoms, and one of those patients was also diagnosed with dengue, Brillantes said. 'The bacteria spread through contact with soil, mud or floodwaters contaminated by animal urine - conditions we still have here, especially during the rainy season,' Brillantes said in a message Friday.
She urged residents, particularly those engaged in outdoor and manual work, to take precautions and seek medical consultation early if they develop symptoms such as fever and muscle pain. Those who cannot avoid exposure because it is part of their work may visit the nearest district health office for prophylaxis, or preventive medicine, she said. 'The doctor must first assess the person, so I advise that they visit the health centers. The service is free and even the medicine is free,' Brillantes said.
