Iloilo logs 84 leptospirosis cases, 10 deaths

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Iloilo province recorded 84 leptospirosis cases, including 10 deaths, from Jan. 4 to Aug. 8, according to the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO).

The figure was 16 percent lower than the 100 cases recorded during the same period in 2025.

The cases were recorded in 32 towns, with Tigbauan logging the highest number at six.

Dumangas, Janiuay, and Tubungan followed with five cases each, while Dingle, Oton, Passi City, and Pototan recorded four cases each.

Balasan, Barotac Nuevo, Dueñas, Leganes, Maasin, and Zarraga had three cases each.

Of the total cases, 32 were agriculture-related, making it the most common recorded exposure history.

Flood-related exposure was reported in 18 cases, while another 18 cases were attributed to other types of exposure.

Fourteen cases had unknown exposure histories, while two were linked to mud exposure.

The province’s case-fatality rate stood at 11.90 percent.

Dingle and Dueñas recorded two deaths each, while Dumangas, Oton, Barotac Nuevo, Zarraga, San Dionisio, and Concepcion recorded one death each.

Patients aged 40 and older accounted for 35 cases, followed by those aged 20–29 with 23 cases and those aged 30–39 with 19 cases.

Six cases involved patients aged 10–19.

The age breakdown provided by the IPHO accounts for 83 of the 84 cases, leaving one case without a specified age group in the data provided.

IPHO chief Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon urged residents who may have been exposed to possible sources of leptospirosis to seek prophylaxis at their nearest health center.

She said the preventive medication is available for free at health centers, while residents who cannot immediately visit one may also seek assistance from barangay health workers.

“However, those with open wounds following possible exposure require a different course of management and should consult a doctor at the nearest hospital or health facility for appropriate treatment,” she said in a statement on Aug. 13.

She reminded the public that leptospirosis can affect all age groups and urged those who may have been exposed not to ignore the risk.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease caused by Leptospira and is commonly transmitted through contact with water or soil contaminated with the urine of infected animals, particularly rodents.

The bacteria can enter the body through cuts or abrasions in the skin or through the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and eyes, according to the World Health Organization.

Symptoms may include fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, and red eyes.

Severe cases may lead to jaundice, kidney or liver failure, meningitis, respiratory problems, or bleeding and require prompt medical attention.

The disease is associated with flooding and other exposure to contaminated surface water, making rainy periods a heightened risk for infection.