MANILA - Six more leptospirosis deaths were reported on Wednesday, causing the disease's death toll to rise to 138, according to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

The number of leptospirosis deaths rose from 132, recorded on Tuesday.

The number of patients in Metro Manila who contracted the disease also rose from 1,887 on Tuesday to 1,938 on Wednesday. Most of the cases were recorded at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila and the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

The disease, which spread after Tropical Storm Ondoy hit the country, can be contracted from water or mud where leptospira bacteria can thrive for a month.

Last October 16, the Department of Health (DOH) declared an outbreak of leptospirosis in barangays Tumana, Malanday, and Concepcion I in Marikina City.

The disease's symptoms include high fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and vomiting. In extreme cases, symptoms include jaundince, abdominal pain, and kidney failure.

However, Duque said the rise in leptospirosis cases has slowed down in recent weeks. The health agency hopes that the spread of the disease will be contained soon, despite the fact that some areas in Metro Manila - like Pasig City and Taguig - are still affected by floods.

The Department of Health (DOH) advised the public not to wade in flood waters and to use protective clothing in order to prevent flood-borne diseases like leptospirosis, typhoid fever, cholera, and hepatitis. Duque also urged local government units to ensure that evacuation centers and areas affected by floods are clean.

He added that all citizens should practice proper handwashing and thoroughly clean their surroundings, especially watery areas where mosquitoes and bacteria can thrive. This is to prevent against the spread of typhoid and cholera, and to prevent water contamination.

The DOH had launched its prophylaxis program last week, with the aim of distributing 4 million antibiotics and prophylactic medicines (medicines that can prevent the onset of a disease) in typhoon-affected areas.

The program will run for 10 weeks, and will cost the DOH P40 million.

On Tuesday, the health bureau received 60 boxes of prophylactic medicines at their warehouse. Pharmaceutical company Pfizer also donated P1 million worth of medicines for leptospirosis.

According to Duque, these will be distributed to over 1.3 million patients in the National Capital Region, Laguna province, and Rizal province.

The warehouse also has stocks of ointments for skin ailments like athlete's foot and eczema, which have spread in evacuation centers after victims were exposed to dirty flood waters and bacteria. - Report by Maricar Bautista, ABS-CBN News.