23 diarrhea cases reported in Albay evacuation centers

MALILIPOT, Albay-At least 23 evacuees have suffered from diarrhea while staying at different evacuation centers in Albay.

William Sabater, Albay sanitary officer, said five cases were confirmed at the San Jose evacuation center.

He said the evacuees must have accidentally drank the water from the rainwater tank in the campus.

Albay Provincial Health Officer Dr. Antonio Ludovice said an epidemiology investigation showed that the water from the tank was positive for fecal contamination.

“We advised them not to drink the water there to avoid getting sick,” he said.

Director Napeoleon Arevalo, Department of Health Bicol director, said 18 cases of diarrhea were also recorded at the San Andres evacuation center in Sto. Domingo town.

“They were immediately treated and they are all fine now,” he said.

He said the victims may have drank dirty water that they may have fetched somewhere.

“The LGUs provide them purified drinking water for their safety,” he said. He admitted that potable drinking water is one of the problems in evacuation centers.

To address the issue, the provincial governments of Catanduanes and Sorsogon will send their filtration machines to augment the production of clean water.

They also planned to set up temporary hospitals to attend to the medical needs of evacuees.