MANILA, Philippines – Iligan City has declared a leptospirosis outbreak after 9 people in the city have died from the disease.

Hospitals in the city are struggling to accommodate the number of patients.

“We were not prepared. In fact, in our hospital we have only I think 50 boxes of doxycycline,” said Dr. Anita Saloma of the Don Gregorio Lluch Memorial Hospital.

An outbreak was earlier declared in Cagayan de Oro, where 8 have died from leptospirosis.

Doctors are hoping that the number of patients will no longer rise now that the floods have subsided.

In Tanjay, Negros Oriental, outbreaks have been declared in two villages.

The town has declared one fatality from the disease.

In total, Iligan, Cagayan and Negros Oriental have reported 439 leptospirosis cases. -- Reports from Roxanne Arevalo, ABS-CBN News Iligan, ANC