THE FLOODS in Manila may have subsided but that doesn’t mean the worst is over, even as the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila admitted operating beyond its capacity amid a surge of patients diagnosed positive for leptospirosis.
According to Dr. David Suplico, in his capacity as medical center chief, the San Lazaro Hospital is operating at 300% to 500% of its emergency room capacity as patients continue to swarm.
In raising the alarm, Suplico said: “Currently, many leptospirosis patients are waiting in our express lane. Our emergency room is now operating at around 300% to 500% of its capacity.”
Citing hospital data, Suplico hinted at 87 leptospirosis patients currently admitted at San Lazaro Hospital. Of this number, 26 are in severe condition, including those experiencing difficulty breathing and requiring dialysis.
Three leptospirosis patients have also died from Aug. 19 to 22.
“This is somewhat alarming. Usually, the incubation period of leptospirosis is between two and 30 days,” he averred, even as he hinted at the possibility of an increased admission in the next few days.
“We usually see the peak of leptospirosis within two weeks after exposure. That would be two weeks from Aug. 17. What we are seeing now is a continued increase in admissions,” he added.
In Quezon City, the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City temporarily limited the admission of walk-in patients after reaching full bed capacity due to a surge in leptospirosis cases.
Patients who need non-emergency admission were advised to coordinate with their attending physicians and consider other healthcare facilities with available beds to avoid prolonged waiting times.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection spread through the urine of infected animals like rats, dogs, and farm livestock. People get sick when contaminated water or soil enters through cuts in the skin, eyes, nose, or mouth—often during floods or heavy rains.
