• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The City Health Office said Nov. 28 that a 23-year-old male from Barangay 26 was the latest leptospirosis fatality in Bacolod, bringing the death toll to 15 since the start of this year.
The patient had onset of flu-like symptoms Nov. 10, and was admitted to a hospital Nov. 13, but died three days later, Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO Environmental Sanitation Division said, adding that 83 Bacolodnons had been infected since the start of this year up to Nov. 18.
The cases were 118.4 percent higher than the 38 infections with nine deaths logged in the same period last year, the CHO said.
There was no clustering of cases in the barangays as of the Oct. 28 to Nov. 18 monitoring, but 70 to 80 percent of infections have declared exposure or contact with contaminated ground or water, Tan said.
Most common reason for complications and death is delayed health-seeking behavior, she added.
The barangays with highest leptospirosis cases included Mansilingan with seven, Estefania, six; Bata, five with one death; Felisa, five; Banago, five with two deaths; Vista Alegre, five; Singcang and Taculing, five with one death each; Brgy. 35, four; Pahanocoy, three with one death; Villamonte, three; Handumanan and Alijis, three with one death each; and Brgy. 14, three with two deaths.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod has already asked all 61 barangays to intensify the campaign and information drive against the health hazard posed by leptospirosis.
Councilor Claudio Jesus Puentevella, chairperson of the SP Committee on Health and Sanitation, authored a resolution enjoining all punong barangays, in coordination with the Bacolod CHO, to strengthen the campaign, noting that, as per the Department of Health, leptospirosis cases increase during the wet season, with the 2023 cases exceeding the five-year average. | CGC
