PNEUMONIA, rather than dengue, is currently the bigger threat to the province this rainy season, according to an official of the Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC).

Dr. Michael Canto, spokesman of R1MC, said in August alone, they have admitted 268 patients suffering from pneumonia.

Pneumonia is a complication of influenza, which, according to Canto, is among the ailments classified under the so-called “wet and wild diseases” as these usually emerge when the rains come.

The word “wild” is actually an acronym for Water-borne diseases such as Influenza, Leptospirosis, Diarrhea,and  dengue, said Canto.

In August, R1MC registered 28 diarrhea patients; four for leptospirosis, one of whom from Pantal, Dagupan City had died; and 155 children and 34 adults for dengue.

R1MC, a 400-bed facility, is currently congested with “wet and wild disease” patients, with some of them having to share a bed or forced to stay in the corridors.

DENGUE

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DoH) has reported that 472 cases of dengue were registered in the whole of Pangasinan as of September 1 this year, five of which were fatal.

Dr. Jose Soriano, DOH representative in Dagupan City, said there is no cause for alarm as this number is still 50 percent lower than the 890 cases that were registered for the same period last year.

In August, the province registered 130 dengue cases against 245 in the same month last year.

Soriano, speaking at the KBP forum in Dagupan last week, said dengue, which has been registering unusually high incidents in other parts of the country, is very much under control in Pangasinan.

At the same time, Soriano said dengue cases in Pangasinan are expected to decline in the remaining part of the year.

DOH records as of September 1 show that Dagupan leads the 44 towns and three cities in Pangasinan so far with 94 dengue cases, followed by Mangatarem, 71; San Fabian, 26; and Mangaldan, 24.

Mangatarem declared a dengue outbreak on account of the town’s rising number of dengue cases with one death so far.

Sual, San Fabian, Bugallon and Calasiao reported one fatality each.

The case fatality rate for dengue, according to Soriano, is 1.05 per cent.

Soriano called on residents of Pangasinan to immediately go to the nearest health center to be checked for dengue in case any of the symptoms appear.

He also called urged the public to help neutralize the spread of dengue by applying the “4S” method which stands for Search and destroy the breeding places of mosquitoes, Seek medication, Self protection, and Say no to indiscriminate fogging. —LM

PUBLIC WARNED AGAINST LEPTOSPIROSIS

CITY Health Officer Leornard Carbonell has called on Dagupan residents to be wary against the bacterial disease leptospirosis, which is common during the rainy season.

In his health advisory, Carbonell urged residents to avoid wading in flood waters if they are not wearing rubber boots or any protective clothing, avoid contact with infected animals, and from swimming in contaminated water.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects both humans and animals caused by spirochetes–leptospira, which causes a wide range of symptoms in infected persons.

Leptospira can gain entry through cuts and abrasions in the skin and through mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth. The disease can be acquired through exposure to infected animals or an environment contaminated with animal urine soaked in floodwaters.

The signs and symptoms include high fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and vomiting, and may include jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or a rash.

Carbonell cautioned that if the disease is not treated, the patient could develop kidney damage; meningitis, an inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord; liver failure; and respiratory distress. In rare cases, death may occur.

“Since many of these symptoms can be mistaken for other diseases. It is imperative that we seek medical advice the moment we experienced high fever,” said Carbonell.

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