Diarrhea kills 2, downs 1,000 in Misamis
By Ma. Cecilia Rodriguez
Mindanao Bureau
First Posted 01:19:00 11/20/2008
Filed Under: Regional authorities, Diseases
TAGOLOAN, Misamis Oriental – At least two persons have died and almost 1,000 others have been hospitalized here since Saturday in what health officials described as the worst diarrhea outbreak so far to hit the province.
Health workers at the municipal health unit have been working double time to attend to patients, who came by the hundreds and complained of severe stomachache, vomiting and diarrhea.
Health officials said they feared that the patients might have been stricken with cholera.
“There are symptoms that point to cholera, but we are still confirming this,” said Grace Valdehuesa of the Department of Health.
Valdehuesa said the results of initial tests on water samples taken from several areas were positive for diarrhea-causing bacteria.
“Initial laboratory tests by our epidemiologist detected E. coli bacteria. We already sent samples to Manila. We will get the final result in one week,” she said.
Worst in province
Valdehuesa described the outbreak as the worst she had seen in the province since 1975.
On Tuesday, the Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) saw hundreds of patients lying on makeshift beds under a pitched tent outside the municipal hospital.
Most of them came from Barangays Sta. Cruz, Baluarte and Poblacion, but several others came from outskirt villages.
A physician said a 2-year-old child had to be transported to Cagayan de Oro City, a 30-minute ride away, for emergency treatment because of lack of facilities to handle serious cases.
“She is already critical,” said the doctor. He said he had been attending nonstop to the patients for days already.
Municipal health officer Dr. Jennifer Advincula said she was now relying on the DOH to beef up hospital supplies.
Health and local government officials urged residents to boil water for drinking.
Cholera can cause severe diarrhea, internal bleeding and eventually death.
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