‘White baha’ and risk of disease after Kristine

Floodwater invading a home in Pila, Laguna turned white due to spilled paint—but the residents have not reported any adverse effects.

According to Mariane Mateo Manalo, gallons of paint were mixed with the floodwater brought by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami).

“Siyempre po tumaas ‘yung tubig, tendency umangat din po ‘yung pinaka-galon ng pintura, so natapon [Of course the water level rose, the tendency was for the paint gallons to rise, and so they spilled],” she said in a report by Jonathan Andal on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

The Department of Health (DOH) warned the public to be cautious when wading in any floodwater, stressing again the risk of leptospirosis and the need to consult a doctor after interacting with floods, even if they do not experience any symptoms right away.

Leptospirosis is a potentially serious, even deadly infection that one can get from wading in waters contaminated by the urine of infected animals such as rats. It is caused when the bacteria enters the human body through fresh wounds or through the mouth, nose, or eyes. Symptoms include fever, nausea, dizziness, and body fatigue.

“‘Yung mikrobyo niya, ‘yung leptospira, kahit matuyo ‘yung lupa, kahit ‘yung alikabok, nandoon po ‘yun [The leptospira microbe, even when the area dries, it can remain in the dust],” DOH spokesperson and assistant secretary Albert Domingo said in the same report.

“‘Yung mga sintomas na naninilaw ang mata o kaya nag-iba ang kulay ng ihi, naninigas or sumasakit ‘yung kalamnan lalo na roon sa calf muscles o alak-alakan, mga advanced stage na po ‘yun, nawawalan ng ihi,” he added.

(Symptoms such as the yellowing of the eyes, the loss of urine and the change in urine color, the stiffness or soreness of muscles such as the calf are advanced stages.)

The DOH also called on the public to consult doctors for cases of athlete's foot so that they may be prescribed anti-fungal medicine. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA Integrated News