The Department of Health (DOH) said it is closely monitoring seven regions, including the Negros Island Region, after an increase in leptospirosis cases during a 13-day period.
Six other areas also breached the epidemic threshold twice in the past four weeks, data showed Sept. 4.
In a video message, DOH undersecretary Gloria Balboa noted that the regions monitored for rising year-on-year cases are Soccsksargen, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, Cordillera Administrative Region, NIR, Bicol Region, and Cagayan Valley.
Meanwhile, intense monitoring is focused on the National Capital Region (NCR), Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Northern Mindanao, and Davao Region.
Data showed 6,253 leptospirosis cases have been recorded nationwide so far this year, reflecting a 12 percent drop from the 7,084 cases reported during the same period in 2025.
However, cases spiked Aug. 2 to 15 with 824 cases, a 77-percent surge from the 465 cases reported July 19 to Aug. 1.
To manage prophylaxis demand, regional health offices have augmented 1.2 million capsules of doxycycline to affected areas to date.
An additional 2.6 million capsules remain in stock across centers for health development, along with 40,812 capsules in DOH-retained hospitals and medical centers in Metro Manila.
Balboa also reported an overall decline in national cases of water-borne diseases, influenza-like illnesses, and dengue for the first eight months of 2026, despite localized spikes observed in recent weeks.
Acute bloody diarrhea cases dropped by 32 percent to 6,456 from the 9,520 cases recorded during the same period last year. Cases rose 15 percent between Aug. 2 15, with 411 cases reported compared to 358 cases logged July 19 to Aug. 1.
Cholera cases dropped by 67 percent year-to-date, with 428 cases recorded compared to more than 1,283 during the same period in 2025.
Despite the overall reduction, nationwide cholera cases increased by 40 percent from Aug. 2 to 15, with 28 cases reported compared to 20 in the preceding two-week period.
Typhoid fever cases fell 41 percent to 10,708 from 18,014 in 2025. Recent bi-weekly data showed a 20 percent drop, with 590 cases recorded Aug. 2 to 15 compared to 740 from July 19 to Aug. 1.
The DOH highlighted rising case trends in the Bicol Region, Davao Region and NCR relative to last year’s figures.
Meanwhile, influenza-like illnesses reached 86,113 cases, reflecting a 22 percent reduction from the 110,978 cases logged during the same period last year.
Bi-weekly figures showed a 7-percent rise to 5,847 cases on Aug. 2 to 15, up from 5,450 cases the previous 13 days. Western Visayas, Mimaropa, Central Visayas, and Northern Mindanao remain under close monitoring for year-on-year increases.
Dengue cases totaled 128,634, representing a 39 percent decrease from the 209,631 cases recorded during the same timeframe in 2025. Recent monitoring showed a 9-percent increase from Aug. 2 to 15, recording 15,763 cases compared to 14,409 cases logged July 19 to Aug. 1. | PNA
