CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines — The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DoH) 7 has issued a warning to the public against the onset of water-borne diseases that often spread during the rainy season.

DoH regional director Susana Madarieta said water-borne diseases like dengue and leptospirosis are expected to rise, if the public is not vigilant, during the rainy season.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, she said, has already announced that the rainy season has started and will remain until early next year.

Madarieta however said that dengue cases in Cebu City dropped 36 percent from January to September 15 compared to the same period last year. So far, there were only 1,061 dengue cases reported in Cebu City with nine fatalities compared to 1,659 cases and 13 deaths last year.

There were 58 cases of leptospirosis recorded by the DoH Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Unit since the start of the year until October 8 with Cebu City having 20 cases, the highest in the region.

Madarieta said preventive measures the public should adopt during rainy season includes the covering of water containers at all times to prevent mosquitoes from breeding therein and to destroy any containers such as open cans, tires or caps that could be possible breeding sites for the aedes egypti or dengue mosquitoes.

In heavily flooded areas, the DoH has advised the public to wear protective gear such as boots before wading through flooded roadways to reduce the risk of contracting leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is an infection commonly transmitted to humans from water that has been contaminated by animal urine -usually rats - and comes in contact with lesions in the skin, eyes, or mucous membranes, Madarieta said.

The health department also warned that coughs and colds are common during the rainy season. She advised the public to wear protective clothing, eat right and take vitamins that boost the immune system such as Vitamin C and nourish themselves with foods rich in vitamins and nutrients such as vegetables.