Manila: Leptospirosis cases at a major infectious disease hospital in the Philippine capital have reached 50, with two deaths, following widespread flooding from persistent heavy rains, local media reported on Saturday.
San Lazaro Hospital, a national referral centre for infectious diseases run by the Department of Health (DOH), has opened an express lane for leptospirosis patients, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting local media TV5.
Nationwide cases have reached 3,760 so far in the Philippines, with the number expected to rise further in the coming days, according to the DOH.
Additionally, in Iloilo Province in the central Philippines, at least 10 people have died from leptospirosis in the past eight months, local media reported on Friday.
The death toll in Iloilo Province is twice the number of people who died from the disease during the same period in 2025. Residents are urged to take prophylaxis or preventive antibiotics if exposed to risks, according to local health authorities.
Meanwhile, a total of 88 cities and municipalities have declared a state of calamity due to the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones, the Office of Civil Defence said on Friday.
The hardest-hit provinces include Pampanga, Bataan and Bulacan in Central Luzon, the largest plain in the country located north of Manila on the main island of Luzon.
In Pampanga province, more than half of the villages are still submerged, affecting nearly 1 million people and causing about 1.4 billion pesos (about 22.68 million US dollars) in agricultural damage.
Bataan province has declared a state of calamity with around 8,000 residents evacuated. In Bulacan province, a bridge in Santa Maria remained closed due to flood damage.
A state of calamity is an official emergency declaration issued by the Philippine government when a severe natural disaster, epidemic, or major crisis hits a city, province, or the entire country.
(IANS)
