Amid overall case decline, DoH vows to continue helping leptospirosis patients

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health has vowed to continue helping leptospirosis patients even if cases of the flood-borne disease is lower than the previous years.

According to the DOH, there had been 5,486 cases of Leptospirosis reported from January 4 to August 26 of this year, a 23 percent decrease rom the 7,163 cases reported during the same period in 2025.

The case fatality rate also decreased by 41 percent compared to last year, from 10.65 percent in 2025 to 6.27 percent this year, equivlalent to 344 reported deaths.

The highest number of Leptospirosis cases are located in the National Capital Region, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon regions.

In a press briefing at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City on Friday, Health Undersecretary Gloria Balboa said that while they expect cases of Leptospirosis to increase over the net few weeks due to the two to 14 day incubation period of the bacteria, it would eventually drop.

Acting Health Secretary Edwin Mercado said that all health facilities, including health centers, rural health centers and even local government unit hospitals have enough supplies of doxycycline for prophylaxis.

He also assured that leptospirosis patients will be given immediate care through leptosprosis "fast lanes" in all 33 Department of Health maintained hospitals in areas where there are high cases of leptospirosis, while 471 public hospitals, health centers and more than 4,000 Yakap clinics are ready to accept consultations.

Mercado also said that coordination between DoH hospitals and Local government units through the Metro Manila Center for Health Development continues to improve referral of patients.

The NKTI has also partnered with the Philippine General Hospital to make PGH as the "step down" hospital to free up bed capacity by transferring recovering leptospirosis patients.

Mercado also said that medical personnel from Dr. Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center and Dr. Jose Fabella Hospital have also augmented personnel at the San Lazaro Hospital.