DOH WARNS THE PUBLIC ON DISEASES AS THE RAINY SEASON HAS OFFICIALY BEGUN

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has officially declared the start of the rainy season. Pagasa Administrator Nathaniel Servando said the entry of typhoon Aghon and the existence of the southwest are the grounds for declaring the beginning of the rainy season.

During the dry season, El Niño has made it worst, now that the rainy season has begun, the La Niña could bring strong impacts according to the weather bureau.

From scorching dry season, the country is now shifting to rainy season (Photo courtesy of Miguel De Guzman/Philippine Star)

Servando warned the public of the feared effects that high chance of La Niña will be developing by the months of July-August-September in the coming months that may bring above normal rain fall conditions in some parts of the country. Especially in the last quarter of the year, Pagasa still expects monsoon breaks in the next few days or weeks. 

“The public and all concerned agencies are advised to take precautionary measures against the adverse impacts of the rainy season, habagat, and the impending La Niña such as floods and rain-induced landslides,” the weather agency said.

Now that the country is shifting from sunny to rainy season, the Department of Health is also now preparing for the rainy season for cases of influenza-like illnesses such as colds and flu in the Philippines. The department cautioned the public against the spread of diseases that may become prevalent.

Diseases that were called “WILD”, which stands for Water and food-borne diseases; Influenza-like illnesses; Leptospirosis; and Dengue.

"Actually, we have seen from our data that the cases of influenza-like illnesses have been decreasing in the past weeks, although we know that the rainy season is coming, so the DOH is on alert and we anticipate that it will increase because it is already raining," DOH, Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said.

Every year, the Philippines has 20 cyclones on average that enter or develop inside its area of responsibility, devastating houses and crops and killing hundreds to thousands of people.

Source: GMA Integrated News

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