DOH DEPLOYS TEAMS VS DISEASES
MANILA, OCTOBER 15, 2009 (STAR) By Sheila Crisostomo - The Department of Health (DOH) started yesterday the monitoring of the spread of athlete’s foot among residents in flooded areas that could trigger an outbreak of leptospirosis in communities recently ravaged by tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng.”DOH chief epidemiologist Dr. Eric Tayag said health teams were deployed to conduct medical missions in evacuation centers in Metro Manila,
Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog following reports that many evacuees were already suffering from athlete’s foot due to constant wading in floodwaters.
“Of the more than 30,000 consultations that they have attended to, 19 percent involved athlete’s foot. This cannot be ignored because athlete’s foot is an open wound and the leptospira bacteria can enter the body through open wounds or cuts,” he told The STAR.
Tayag said that if possible, wading through floodwaters should be avoided.
“Draining floods should now be our priority. If we can’t help wading in floodwaters, when you step out of the flood, you have to wash your feet with clean water. And then dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes.”
Athlete’s foot is an infection of the feet caused by fungus known as tinea that thrive in warm and moist areas. It is contagious, and can be passed through direct contact, or contact with items such as shoes, socks, or stockings.
It is characterized by cracked, flaking, peeling skin between the toes. The affected area is usually red and itchy.
The DOH had already distributed anti-fungal ointment during its medical missions.
Tayag claimed that there is a traditional but effective way to cure athlete’s foot.
He added that feet with athletes’ foot could be wiped with pure vinegar or washed with lukewarm water with vinegar.
“They can also boil water with ginger. Let it cool a bit and use it to wash the feet. They key here is to keep your feet dry,” he said.
The DOH is also expecting an upsurge in dengue cases next week when the larvae that were bred in floodwaters grow into mosquitoes and when the dengue symptoms start manifesting.
The expert said that as of “pre-Ondoy” Sept. 12, there was a total of 31,195 dengue cases in the country. This is 9.6 percent lower compared to the 34,492 cases registered during the same period in 2008.
Dr. Lyndon Leesuy, program manager of the DOH’s National Dengue Program, said the agency is planning to distribute larvaecide in communities where dengue outbreak is likely to happen.
Denque is transmitted by the bites of infected Aedes Aegypti, the mosquito species characterized by white stripes on the legs that bite during the day.
Leesuy said experts from the DOH’s regional offices would apply the larvaecide, a type of insecticide that kills mosquitoes but is safe for humans and other animals.
“This will be applied in clean but stagnant water, not in floodwaters that are usually running,” he added.
Leesuy has urged the public to embark in massive clean-up operations around their residence to eliminate possible breeding sites of mosquitoes.
Leptospirosis cases rise
The DOH had earlier warned residents of flooded areas on the increase in cases of leptospirosis from nine private and government hospitals in Metro Manila after Ondoy and Pepeng hit the country.
DOH recorded 383 leptospirosis cases from the East Avenue Medical Center (69 cases), Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (1), Manila Doctor’s Hospital (10), The Medical City (70), National Kidney and Transplant Institute (28), Quirino Memorial Medical Center (18), Philippine General Hospital (17), Rizal Medical Center (13), and the San Lazaro Hospital (157) as of Oct. 12.
“This is cause for concern since this surge in cases being reported by only nine Metro Manila hospitals already represents about half of last year’s annual figures when we reported 769 total cases,” Duque said.
Leptospirosis is caused by swallowing the bacteria directly from water, absorbing it through cuts in the skin, or through food. Although the disease is commonly associated with rat urine, infection can also come from animals like cattle, pigs, horses, dogs, and wild animals.
The bacteria live in freshwater and are killed immediately by heat, disinfectant, acids and alkali.
Duque said that anyone working in floodwaters should protect any broken skin by using boots and preventing floodwater from entering their mouth.
All drinking water should be boiled for at least five minutes, according to the World Health Organization’s guidelines.
Medical experts also warned residents to prevent children from playing with toys soaked in floodwaters.
“Water-borne illnesses can be avoided by not allowing children to play in floodwaters as well as flood-contaminated toys,” doctors said as they noted that toys may be disinfected using a solution of one cup of bleach in five gallons of water.
The medical experts said people in storm-ravaged areas should practice basic hygiene like washing of hands to avoid diseases.
They explained that floodwaters might contain fecal material from overflowing sewage systems, and other infectious sources.
Direct contact of intact skin with floodwaters does not pose a serious health risk, but there is, however, some risk of disease from eating or drinking anything contaminated with floodwater.
“The risk is greater if open cuts or sores on the skin are exposed to flood water that may serve as entry points of infection-causing bacteria. If this happens, you must keep the area as clean as possible by washing it well with soap to control infection. If the wound develops redness, swelling, or drainage, you must seek immediate medical attention,” doctors said.
President Arroyo ordered the deployment of more medical teams to calamity-stricken areas and evacuation centers to avert a possible health and sanitation crisis.
Mrs. Arroyo gave the directive during the Cabinet meeting held at the Dagupan West Central School after Health Secretary Duque warned of the worsening health conditions in some calamity-hit areas.
She said medical personnel from the DOH should join forces with the doctors of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US military assisting in the relief operations in Metro Manila and nearby provinces and northern Luzon.
Duque said the leading cause of death in evacuation centers is acute respiratory tract infection, accounting for 50 percent of the illnesses. The other ailments include skin infections and wounds at 20 percent; diarrhea, 18 percent; febrile illness, 10 percent; and influenza-like illness, one percent.
Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral said Ondoy affected about one million individuals and an estimated 45,000 families are still in evacuation centers.
She said there are about 116,000 displaced families living outside evacuation centers that require emergency assistance.
Pepeng affected 1.237 million individuals with over 16,000 families in evacuation centers and 31,000 more families living outside evacuation centers, Cabral said.
Duque said about 1,610 health workers are deployed in calamity-hit areas in northern Luzon, Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
He said among the major challenges facing the DOH is the surge of patients in government hospitals and health centers.
Duque said that cases of the leptospirosis in flooded areas increased by 175 percent. Cholera also remains a threat in the said areas, he said.
“But there are no reports of epidemics,” he told the Cabinet meeting.
He suggested that PhilHealth include a special package for cases of leptospirosis for its members while the government will try to work out arrangements with private hospitals for free treatment of the disease. – With Mayen Jaymalin, Paolo Romero
DOH urges flood victims to clean own surroundings By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star) Updated October 15, 2009 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - An expert from the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday urged those displaced by tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng” to do their part and help clear their surroundings of garbage to prevent the outbreak of diseases.
Dr. Lyndon Leesuy, program manager of the DOH’s National Dengue Program and Emerging and Re-Emerging Diseases, said they observed the proliferation of garbage when they made the rounds of evacuation camps in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
“If only they would pick up a piece of garbage or won’t throw their garbage just anywhere, it would be a big help already. In any situation, we should always keep our surroundings clean,” he told The STAR.
The DOH fears an outbreak of flood-borne diseases like leptospirosis, dengue and cholera or typhoid fever in areas submerged in floodwaters since Ondoy and Pepeng wrought havoc in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Northern Luzon and Calabarzon.
As of Oct. 10, the DOH had registered 10,709 cases of acute respiratory infection; 3,883 cases of skin infection; 3,100 cases of diarrhea; 1,754 cases of fever and 76 cases of pneumonia in various evacuation camps.
Leesuy warned that the presence of garbage in the community could spark the spread of illnesses because rats and cockroaches and other microorganisms thrive in them.
“It is important for us to always observe personal hygiene and sanitation for our own welfare and protection,” he added.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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