Oas town in Albay (Image from Google Maps)
OAS, Albay — A woman died while 130 others were taken to several hospitals in Albay province on Monday after suffering from severe diarrhea which local officials believed was caused by drinking contaminated drinking water in the coastal village of Badian here, reports on Tuesday said.
Henry Monteveros, Barangay Badian chairman, said most of the victims also experienced severe stomach pain and vomiting.
Dr. Jane Revereza, Oas municipal health officer, said Badian resident Crizelda Imperial, 43, died while others were taken to hospitals in the towns of Libon and Pio Duran and the cities of Legazpi and Ligao.
Revereza said water from the village’s main source, a deep well, was contaminated, noting that tests found water samples positive of E. coli.
“Patients are confined and are still being treated in different hospitals in Albay,” she said. “So far we asked villagers not to fetch and drink water from the deep well anymore.”
Revereza said residents were advised to always boil water before they drink it.
Idelyn Mabuti, 22, and Lydia Aviso, 60, who were confined at Pantao District Hospital in Libon town, said the water taken from the well was salty.
Oas Mayor Domingo Escoto Jr. said: “If the number of victims continues to rise, we will be obliged to declare a state of emergency.” /atm