LEGAZPI CITY—At least 66 villagers have fallen ill of suspected typhoid fever in 18 villages in the town of Oas in Albay, the provincial health office (PHO) said on Monday.
The incidence of the water-borne disease began on May 16 and the cases continued to surge until Monday, according to Dr. Nats Rempillo, Albay’s assistant provincial health officer, in his report to the Department of Health in Bicol.
Rempillo said that 23 people were hospitalized at Rebueno General Hospital in Oas; five were reported at Josefina Belmonte Duran District Memorial District Hospital in Ligao City, four of whom had been discharged; 10 were confined at Bicol Regional Teaching and Training Hospital (BRTTH) in Daraga town, of whom four cases were discharged on Monday.
Of the cases confined at BRTTH, one turned out to be positive for salmonella, said Rempillo.
Marilyn Palattao, head of the provincial epidemiology unit, said the cases were reported by the Oas municipal health unit (MHU) on May 28 after suspected typhoid cases were monitored in the villages of Tobog, Bagumbayan, Mayao, Iraya, Talongog, Camagong, Ilaor Norte and Sur, Maporong, Obaliw and Bongoran, Saban, Manga, San Agustin, Balogo, Gumabao, Cagmanaba and Busac. These villages are located about 5 to 10 kilometers from the Oas town proper.
Those hospitalized were diagnosed to have suffered high fever for more than five days, dehydration and loose bowel movement, constipation, moderate to severe headache and weakness.
Municipal health records indicated that 34 of those who fell sick were children.
Palattao said their initial findings revealed that the patients were downed by contaminated water from the town’s reservoir.
She said most of the households in the affected villages get their drinking water from the town’s reservoir.
Albay Gov. Joey Salceda directed the PHO and Oas MHU to strictly implement household chlorination with the use of chlorine granules, aquatabs, chlorine solutions (waterine) and sanitation.
He also directed the PHO and MHU to examine all water sources and refilling stations that supply to Oas.