Public alerted on ‘W.I.L.D’ diseases

AHEAD of the possible onset of the La Niña phenomenon next month, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday cautioned the public to watch out for common diseases due to the expected heightened amount of rainfall.

In a televised public briefing, DOH spokesman Albert Domingo said the public must be vigilant over common diseases during the rainy season.

“We are on alert over the W. I. L. D. diseases,” said Domingo, explaining that the “W” refers to water-borne diseases, such as food poisoning and gastroenteritis, which are caused b by contaminated water.

“This can be prevented if we will boil our water if we are unsure of its safety,” said Domingo.

The “I,” he refers to influenza-like illnesses, which include coronavirus disease (COVID-19), cough, and colds. “Because of the changing weather, the linings of our noses and throats get irritated,” he said.

Domingo said the public must be vigilant against the “L,” or leptospirosis, which is caused by the bacteria from animal urine commonly found in floods.

“As much as possible, don’t wade in flood water. But when it is not avoided, immediately wash your feet and body after wading in the flood,” he said.

Lastly, the DOH said the public must be on guard against “D,” which stands for dengue, which is caused by the aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

“If there are any potential breeding sites, we should prevent the accumulation of water so that they won’t breed mosquitoes that would eventually bring dengue,” said Domingo.

Earlier, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the La Niña may be felt in the country between June and August of this year.