Fatal Illness From Rats Affect Flood Victims in The Philippines

Philippines — Cases of a serious medical condition acquired from rats and other mammals jumped this year after the massive floods caused by Typhoon Ketsana in the capital on October.

Leptospirosis, a bacterial disease from mammalian urine, have inflicted over 2,000 and killed more than 140 victims in the month of October alone.

Philippine Department of Health (DOH) said that the figures are alarming. The Department started giving out antibiotics to the flood victims in order to control the outbreak.

“Leptospirosis cases have increased because of the flood caused by Ondoy (Ketsana),” DOH Secretary Francisco Duque said.

The bacteria enters the bloodstream through a body opening, like a wound, and affects the individual in a matter of days. During a flood, the water treaded by many victims are usually contaminated by the virus.

Other illnesses spreading because of the calamity are mosquito-caused Dengue and several skin dieseses.

Millions of Filipinos are affected by the flooding caused by Ketsana that submerged more than half of the nation’s National Capital Region and nearby provinces.

The World Health Organizaion promised to send immediate medical support to help the country control the leptospirosis outbreak.