By Ephraim Aguilar
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 18:33:00 01/09/2009
INQUIRER.net
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Health officials noted a cholera outbreak for the past three weeks in Ticao Island, Masbate after having recorded 124 cases and two fatalities in the towns of Monreal and San Fernando, the Department of Health in Bicol reported Friday.
Nestor Santiago Jr., Bicol health director, said in a report that in Monreal town, most of the cases were seen in the village of Guinhadap with a total of 96. There were four cases in the village of Morocborocan and nine in the village of Poblacion.
In San Fernando town, all 15 cases were seen in the village of Ipil.
Most of the victims were children and adolescents. Initial laboratory tests through stool culture revealed three of the 124 cases as positive for Cholera Ogawa.
Cholera is a bacterial disease marked by severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea.
Santiago Jr. said their study of the trend of cholera occurrence in the Bicol region showed a reemergence every three to four years.
"This year, being the fourth year since its last regionwide increase, we expect the reemergence of the disease," Santiago Jr. said.
He said prolonged rainy days and the occurrence of floods in many areas in Bicol as well as the unsanitary toilet conditions in villages are some factors that might have caused the reemergence of the disease.
Santiago Jr. said the DOH had distributed medicines like, fluids, antibiotics, and laboratory supplies to cholera hot spot areas in Masbate.
However, what complicated things, he said, was the confusion as to where to refer the cases since most of the health centers were closed during the holidays. Only hospitals were open.
Menwhile, some 32 diarrhea cases have also been recorded first week of January in the Calaguas Group of Islands in Vinzons, Camarines Norte, of which 21
cases were from the village of Banocboc and 11 from Pinagtigasan.
Twenty-five percent of the victims were infants while the rest were from ages one to 10.
Santiago Jr. said laboratory tests through stool culture yielded negative results for cholera. Water tests have also been conducted but results have yet to be released.
Santiago Jr. said diarrhea cases increase mostly during the rainy season when open wells become contaminated because of poor drainage systems.
Residents in affected areas were advised to do household chlorination to ensure potable water.
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