BORBON, Cebu—It was a case of shortchanging with deadly repercussions.
A reservoir from where three villages in this northern town draw water that was supposed to get 200 liters of chlorine per day got only 20 liters twice a week even after the reservoir was found positive of fecal coliform, a bacteria associated with human and animal wastes that can cause diseases, like typhoid fever.
As a result, 46 persons, including children, from the villages of Logo, Clavera and Cahe fell ill and were found to be positive of typhoid.
The stream of people seeking medical care started on Monday. Two days later, the number of cases has swollen to 46.
The problem has been detected as early as April, when sanitary inspectors found a spring in one of the villages, Logo, positive of fecal coliform. Carine M. Asutilla, Inquirer Visayas