BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The rainy season is not usually expected until June or July, but since the last week of February, rainfall especially in the afternoon or early morning have become almost regular occurrences in this city and nearby areas thereby resulting to the prevalence of diseases that affect the health condition of the people who are not used to the varying weather patterns.

This prompted Baguio City Health Officer Dr. Florence Reyes to remind the public to be wary of illnesses, especially upper respiratory tract infections, which are noted to be increasing and could result to the untimely death of individuals who refuse to seek early medical attention and would lead to complications.

“Maaga ang pag-ulan ngayon, sometimes at 11 in the morning nandiyan na ang fog at by 1:00 in the afternoon may ulan na, and what makes it worse is that sometimes it is very cold in the early morning and at night, pero kapag tanghali medyo mainit. What we advise the people, especially mothers, is to let their school children bring extra shirt at ang mga bata dapat always with umbrella or raincoat,” Reyes stressed.

With the increasing respiratory tract infection cases including coughs and colds, Reyes advised the public not to take a plain viral infection lightly, as it could also become complicated and may turn into bacterial infections like broncho-pneumonia, pneumonia, and bronchitis, which are harder to treat.

City Health Services Office Chief Epidemiologist, Dr. Donna Tubera, also affirmed that upper respiratory tract infection has been the year-round leading cause of morbidity or sickness in the city in 2010.
She also reminded the public against dengue, as rains could open up breeding grounds for mosquitoes around the city.

Saying that this could worsen the situation thereby leading to outbreaks or epidemics in certain places once the breeding grounds of the dengue-carrying mosquitoes will not be destroyed immediately through regular cleanup of the surroundings.

She reiterated that the public, even schools, should start cleaning up their surroundings and assure that rainwater would not build up in their backyards especially on empty and unleaded containers or tin cans.

Meanwhile, Reyes also announced that they are also bracing up for the Measles Rubella supplemental immunization activity this April.

According to Reyes, measles is one of the health threats and challenges that the whole country is facing.