Health officials are raising the alarm over a sharp increase in leptospirosis cases among children in Manila, as local public hospitals stretch to full capacity following recent monsoon flooding.
At the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center (OMMC), nine pediatric patients and 11 adults were temporarily staying in the emergency room on Thursday night, pushing the facility to its limit.
Dr. Reynaldo Salinel Jr. of OMMC noted that while seasonal surges are typical from June to October, the influx of young patients wading through contaminated floodwaters remains a major concern.
“This is a perennial problem. We know this happens every June to October,” Salinel said. “However, young people are really treating [floodwaters] like swimming pools. It is very alarming because there are so many pediatric patients, many children have leptospirosis.”
To accommodate the influx, hospital management and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno ordered the conversion of vacant upper-floor rooms into dedicated leptospirosis wards.
“Hanggang pasilyo ng aming emergency room, talagang ang daming pasyente po… lahat po ng mga bakanteng kwarto sa taas… gawin ninyong [leptospirosis] ward ‘yan,” Salinel said.
OMMC is preparing for an additional wave of admissions following heavy flooding earlier in the week. Salinel confirmed that the hospital maintains adequate medicine supplies restocked by the Manila city government and plans to hire job order personnel to strengthen public health information drives.
Acknowledging overcrowding, Salinel asked for understanding from families experiencing admission delays.
“Hindi ko masisisi yung mga kababayan nating nagrereklamo na hindi raw naaasikaso. Pero talaga pong ganoon, sa sobrang dami po ng mga pasyente… ang lilipatan ay punong-puno rin,” he noted.
Health authorities urged residents exposed to floodwaters not to ignore early symptoms such as fever, headaches, and muscle pain, even if they have no visible open wounds.
“Once na pumasok na po yung severe leptospirosis, like yung Weil’s Syndrome na tinatawag po natin, talagang mamamaga na po ang baga, pati utak po kasama, pati kidney po, pati liver. Talaga pong medyo delikado na po yon kaya naman po hindi po biro,” Salinel warned.
He advised the public to practice strict hygiene during the rainy season by eating freshly cooked food, boiling drinking water, wearing protective boots and getting vaccinated against the flu.