GUADALUPE, Makati City — the public is now advised to refrain from swimming, playing, loitering or unnecessary walking in floodwaters as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has released a regulation banning such activities to avoid a spike in cases of diseases, particularly leptospirosis and gastrointestinal illness.

Leptospirosis is a potentially serious bacterial disease that may be acquired through exposure to contaminated floodwaters through cuts in the skin or by swallowing bacteria directly from water or through food.

According to health secretary Teodoro ‘Ted’ Herbosa, “although the disease is commonly associated with rat urine, infection can also come from animals like cattle, pigs, horses, dogs, and wild animals.”

Symptoms of the disease include flu-like symptoms like fever, chills, muscle pain, intense headache, and may sometimes lead to meningitis, liver damage and renal failure, or in some cases, death.

At San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, patients are being admitted for leptospirosis even though there were no recent storms or severe flooding in recent weeks.

“May mga bata kami na patient as young as 20 to 24 years old with severe leptospirosis. This is the exposure that was brought after Carina. We have still to monitor those who are exposed (to floods) during (the onslaught of typhoon) Enteng baha,” the hospital’s Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Unit chairman Dr. Rontgene Solante noted.

“Mas mahaba ang exposure, mas mahaba ang risk,” Solante added.

Insupport of the MMDA regulation, the San Juan local government has released an ordinance imposing a penalty on violators of the ban.

“Dapat alam n’yo na bawal po ang paglalangoy sa tubig-baha at delikado ito para sa inyo,” San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora stressed.

The Metro Manila Council has likewise passed a resolution that urged all local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila to release their own ordinances like San Juan.