Leptospirosis cases in the Philippines fell by 23 percent from January 4 to August 26, 2026, with the Department of Health (DOH) recording 5,486 infections compared to 7,163 during the same period last year.
Despite the overall national decline, Health Undersecretary Gloria Balboa highlighted Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon as the regions with the highest total case counts.
“Dito sa NCR po, binabantayan natin yung mga areas na nakikita natin may mas mataas na kaso. At sa itong nakita natin itong Aug. 27 as of yesterday po, 521 na ang pasyente na naitala dito sa Metro Manila,” Balboa stated during a press briefing at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City.
Balboa noted that San Lazaro Hospital alone accounted for 158 of the recorded cases in the capital region.
Health officials anticipate an uptick in hospitalizations over the next two weeks due to the incubation period of the Leptospira bacteria. To handle the expected surge, the DOH established dedicated fast lanes across 33 DOH-managed hospitals in affected regions and set up referral networks to manage patient volume.
Under this framework, specialized facilities like the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) and Philippine General Hospital (PGH) will transfer recovering patients to step-down care facilities, reserving critical care units and dialysis equipment for severe cases.
Health Assistant Secretary Lester Tan urged anyone exposed to floodwaters to seek a medical evaluation within 24 to 48 hours, even in the absence of visible symptoms or open wounds.
“Ang maagang diagnosis at treatment sa loob po ng dalawang araw mula na magsimula ang mga sintomas ay makakatulong po upang maiwasan ang mga komplikasyon ng sakit at ang pagkaka-ospital,” Tan advised.
Tan cautioned that untreated leptospirosis can result in severe health complications, including kidney failure, liver damage, meningitis, or multi-organ failure.
The DOH confirmed that government health centers, local government facilities, and state hospitals maintain an adequate supply of post-exposure prophylactic antibiotics, such as doxycycline, which require a doctor’s prescription.