Communicable diseases warning issued after floods in Philippines

The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) Saturday warned the public of the transmission of communicable diseases following the floods that inundated Manila and surrounding provinces.

The DOH said that flooding "can potentially increase" the transmission of water-borne diseases like typhoid fever, cholera, leptospirosis and hepatitis and vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue, Xinhua reported.

People should ensure that drinking water comes from a safe source and when in doubt boil water for two minutes or longer, or chlorinate drinking water to make it safe, it said.

Flooding, which was triggered by heavy rain brought by Typhoon Fung-Wong (local name Mario), which was enhanced by the southwest monsoon, hit Manila and six other regions in Luzon Friday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has revised the death toll from Fung-Wong to five and not seven as it earlier reported.

Typhoon Fung-Wong has intensified as it moves towards China's Taiwan.