Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has ordered the full activation of the city’s leptospirosis surge protocol in all six city-run hospitals.

The directive comes after a series of typhoons and monsoon rains caused widespread flooding in the National Capital Region.

Domagoso instructed OIC-City Health Officer Dr. Grace Padilla to prepare the city’s hospitals for a potential increase in leptospirosis cases, a deadly waterborne disease.

As part of the directive, he ordered the immediate activation of “fast lanes” in the emergency rooms of Ospital ng Maynila, Ospital ng Sampaloc, Ospital ng Tondo, Ospital ng Sta. Ana, Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center and Justice Abad Santos General Hospital.

These fast lanes are intended to quickly triage, diagnose and treat suspected patients. The mayor also directed hospital directors to dedicate beds and establish special wards to manage confirmed cases.

“Early detection and early treatment can save lives. We cannot afford delays,” Domagoso said in his directive.

To support the aggressive treatment efforts, Domagoso also instructed the Manila Health Department to ensure that essential medicines, such as doxycycline, are available and that dialysis units are fully operational with adequate supplies for advanced cases that may result in acute kidney injuries.