Cebu Woman Mourns Partner Who Passed Away After Leptospirosis Infection
A woman from Talisay City, Cebu is grieving the loss of her partner, who died from leptospirosis after the heavy flooding caused by Typhoon Tino.
According to Verna Sangilan, their home sits near a river that overflowed for several days. Because of this, her partner, Jerwen Karl Abellana, had no choice but to walk through floodwater repeatedly from November 4 to November 8, 2025.
Jerwen said he had no wounds, yet still ended up infected, showing how dangerous floodwater exposure can be.
On November 12, 2025, Jerwen began feeling unwell. He developed a high fever, experienced vomiting, and felt extremely weak, early signs of leptospirosis. As his condition worsened, he was brought to a hospital in Cebu City, where he was admitted to the ICU on November 14.
Despite struggling to breathe, Jerwen continued trying to talk to their child, reminding the little one to behave even while fighting for his life. This showed how much he cared for his family during his most difficult moments.
Sadly, his condition continued to decline. The next day, Verna shared the heartbreaking news that he passed away due to multiple organ failure caused by the infection. She also mentioned that he was unable to take preventive medicine after being exposed to the flood, which might have given him a small chance of protection.
Verna is now asking for financial help, as the medical expenses have become too heavy for her family to shoulder.
Meanwhile, Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas urged residents who walked through floodwater to visit the City Health Office. He said that more than twenty thousand doses of medicine for leptospirosis have already been distributed to prevent similar tragedies.
In a previous report, a mother loses entire family to typhoon Tino’s devastation