NKTI gym turned into leptospirosis ward as cases climb

The National Kidney And Transplant Institute (NKTI) gymnasium has been converted into a leptospirosis ward due to an influx of patients after the onslaught of Tropical Cyclone Carina-enhanced Southwest Monsoon, Maki Pulido reported Thursday on 24 Oras.\

One of the patients in the gym is Danilo de los Santos, who waded into floodwaters when he was fixing his house after it was damaged by the inclement weather.

After five days, de los Santos experienced a fever and stomach ache. After recovering from the fever, he had difficulty urinating.

He was diagnosed with leptospirosis, a disease caused by bacteria from the urine of animals such as rats, which could mix with floodwater and enter the human body through wounds and other open areas.

De los Santos said there were rats in the area and that he did not notice that his feet were in floodwater as he was stepping on pieces of wood.

He is one of 48 leptospirosis patients presently confined in the NKTI.

Meanwhile, 10 more patients are currently waiting in the emergency room. They cannot be admitted due to an insufficient number of medical staff in the hospital.

The NKTI said the influx of leptospirosis patients is normal after a storm.

A number of nurses and nursing aides were transferred from different wards to take care of leptospirosis patients in the gym.

The NKTI has requested 20 more nurses and 10 more doctors from the Department of Health (DOH) to address the lack of manpower.

“They have lung abnormalities [while] some have lung hemorrhage and then meron ding pong [some have] acute pancreatitis and liver abnormalities so this is really severe leptospirosis,” Dr. Romina Danguilan, NKTI executive director for medical services.

Since January, the NKTI said seven of its patients have died due to leptospirosis, two of whom passed away last week.

Patients who survive the disease also face chronic kidney disease.

From July 14 to 27, there were 67 leptospirosis cases recorded nationwide.

DOH said the number of leptospirosis cases could rise since the Habagat flooded some areas of the country on July 24 and the disease has a two-week incubation period.

According to the DOH, more than 1,400 leptospirosis cases were recorded from Jan. 1 to July 27, 2023. Of the afflicted, 160 people died.

Danguilan advised people who were submerged in floodwater must immediately proceed to a health center to take prophylaxis.

“In the first phase, the patient will get fever then sumasakit kalamnan nila. Aafter about five days they will get better, then babalik sakit this time with complications already: naninilaw mata, pakonti na ang ihi, masakit na tiyan. ‘Yung iba they will cough out blood, pagka ganun sobrang malubha na,” Danguilan said.

(In the first phase, the patient will experience fever and then will experience stomach ache. After about five days, they will get better, then the symptoms will return. This time, with complications like eyes turning yellow and painful urination. Others will experience coughing blood when it is severe.) —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News