By Glazyl M. Jopson
BACOLOD CITY – The City Health Office (CHO) has reported the first suspected leptospirosis fatality of the year following the death of a 52-year-old man from Barangay Villamonte.
Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO’s Environmental Sanitation Division, said the patient had an undocumented fever and consultation before being referred for admission on Jan. 25 due to difficulty breathing. He died the following day.
Tan said the patient worked in construction and general services and often cleaned canals and drainages without wearing boots or gloves.
From Feb. 2 to 8, the CHO recorded four leptospirosis cases, with one case each in Barangays 1, Villamonte, Mansilingan, and Estefania.
This marks a 20% decrease compared to the same period last year, which saw five cases and one death.
The CHO reminded the public to wear boots when wading through floodwaters, avoid swimming in contaminated water, and properly dispose of garbage to prevent the spread of rats, which carry leptospirosis.
