Typhoid cases slow down in Tuburan

Typhoid  fever cases reached the 1,000 mark, but health authorities said  the rate of is declining  as more patients are discharged from Tuburan’s district hospital.

Dr. Expedito Medalla, health and emergency management staff coordinator of the Department of health in Central Visayas (DOH-7), said outpatient admissions went down in the hospital since Wednesday.

“The cases are down trending,” he said.

Since yesterday, they recorded 1,089 suspected cases of typhoid fever in Tuburan.

Five patients have died since the outbreak was  declared last week.  At least  213 cases alone were recorded in Tuburan District Hospital.

Medalla said they already discharged 102 patients since yesterday.

Results of stool, blood sample and water testing  are expected next week.

A three-member team of epidemiologists from the DOH Manila office arrived in Tuburan last Wednesday to investigate the cause of the outbreak.

The team took samples  samples from patients and water sources in a wider area, testing water supply even in barangays not affected by typhoid.

The 25-bed Tuburan District Hospital has been crammed with patients since Saturday.

NEC senior epidemiologist Dr. Rowena Capistrano said patients must be regularly monitored for 14 days to one month, the duration of the disease.

The town’s municipal water system is fed by springs but lacked chlorine treatment.

Chlorinators were installed only after the outbreak was declared.

Typhoid fever is caused by the parasite called Salmonella typhi, which can be found in contaminated food or water. Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya