TACLOBAN CITY—The regional office of the Department of Health in Eastern Visayas reported that about 48 persons have been afflicted with typhoid fever in a village in Abuyog town, Leyte.

Boyd Cerro, regional sentinel nurse of DOH 8, said the victims were all residents of Barangay Balocawe, located some seven kilometers away from the town proper.

The contaminated open dug well, source of the drinking water of the village’s 1,608 residents, was traced as the cause of the illness, according to Cerro.

Last Wednesday, the regional health office distributed antibiotics and other medicines to the victims. They were also given chlorine tablets to disinfect the water coming from the open dug well.

Cerro said their investigation had revealed that the first typhoid fever in the village occurred in the second week of May.

But it was only last Wednesday that their office was informed about the typhoid fever cases in the village by the local sanitary officer.

“Typhoid fever, among its manifestation, is prolonged fever. And some of the victims chose to conduct self-medication, the reason until this week, we still have some cases of typhoid fever there,” Cerro explained.

The regional sentinel nurse said that of the 48 persons afflicted, only six were treated in a hospital.

Cerro said they also advised the villagers to observe personal hygiene to prevent the further spread of the disease.

“We also advised them to boil their drinking water,” Cerro said.

The health official said that with the onset of the rainy season, he expected more typhoid fever cases to occur in the region, especially in areas that depend on open sources for their drinking.

Early this week, typhoid fever also downed 20 persons in Barangay San Miguel in Hernani town, Eastern Samar, with its open spring as the cause of the ailment.

Dr. Benefrida Bacunawa, town health officer, said the victims have been ailing for the past three weeks but decided to seek medical assistance only on Wednesday.