MANILA, Philippines — Mayor Francisco "Isko" Moreno Domagoso on Wednesday ordered the Manila health workers to go door-to-door in their communities to find residents who may have been exposed to floodwaters or are showing symptoms of leptospirosis as cases in the city surged.
Isko issued the directive after Manila recorded 89 new leptospirosis cases on Aug. 26, up from 38 on Aug. 25, 16 on Aug. 24, 10 on Aug. 23, 11 on Aug. 22, 22 on Aug. 21 and 11 on Aug. 20.
A total of 197 new cases were recorded this week.
Five patients have died from the disease this week, one on Aug. 24, two on Aug. 25 and two on Aug. 26.
"Let us reverse the situation: instead of waiting for them to seek us out, we must actively track down those who were potentially exposed to floodwaters and are exhibiting symptoms of leptospirosis infection," Isko said in Filipino during his "Talk to the People" livestream.
