CEBU, Philippines - The Rural Health Unit of Alegria, southwestern Cebu has recorded 16 more patients believed to be suffering from typhoid fever.
There are no reported cases in its neighboring towns but the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the Department of Health (DOH) believes more than 16 patients are afflicted with the disease.
Of the more than 81 patients who had a check-up yesterday, a number of residents from sitio Inghoy and those admitted at the Badian District Hospital and Reinhard Hospital in Alegria had their blood samples tested to confirm if they indeed have typhoid fever.
Most of the affected patients are minors and those aged 30 and above.
Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) Chief Doctor Cristina Giango said that if found positive of E-coli bacteria, they will immediately send the blood samples to Manila for laboratory examination.
Giango said this is to confirm if the patients are really suffering typhoid fever as suspected.
Dr. Expedito Medalla, chief of the RESU-7, said that blood samples extracted from the patients will be taken to the DOH 7 Office for laboratory examination to determine what kind of disease had hit the town.
Though there are no results yet, Medalla said the patients have the symptoms of typhoid fever.
The usual symptoms of typhoid fever may appear 3 to 60 days after infection. Common symptoms include high fever, weakness, stomach pains, and a rash of flat, rose-colored spots. If left untreated, other signs and symptoms may develop, including intestinal bleeding, hepatitis, meningitis, and even death.
A recommendation will be released right after the results of the blood and water samples are out. Some of the victims are still confined at the Badian District Hospital and Reinhard Hospital in Alegria.
Medalla further said that proper hand washing, having a proper comfort room and boiling drinking water are the precautions he advised to the residents.
“Maayo ni karon nga dali namo naatiman dili pareha atong miagi nga grabe na,” he said.
Last December, the DOH declared an outbreak of typhoid fever in the same town with over 300 patients. A state calamity in the town was then declared.
In a report over radio station dyHP, residents of sitio Inghoy, barangay Valencia claimed they saw a stray dog swimming in the spring, their source of water. They also said the spring has no cover.
Not far from the spring is a cemented water reservoir where the water from the spring is treated with chlorine.
Meanwhile, Jenny Paras, head nurse of the Badian Rural Health Unit, told The FREEMAN that even if it’s not really typhoid fever that hit their town, they are now conducting health education for the parents.
Badian, the town next to Alegria with 29 barangays, also uses spring as source of water.
Paras said they already told all water stores to chlorinate their water supplies for safety.
Giango said the team from PESU, which is under the IPHO, has already started conducting tests on the blood sample and were already on their way back to Cebu City from Alegria as of 5 p.m. yesterday. The blood samples that they took would immediately be forwarded to the DOH upon their arrival in the city.
She said there is already an outbreak considering that more than the usual cases have been reported.
“Ug communicable, maski usa lang kabuok nya previously zero siya, so pwede siya ma-consider as outbreak. Depende sa kaso. Kanang sa Alegria, more than the usual na ‘na kay di man unta dapat ingon ana na kadaghan,” Giango said.
The IPHO chief further said, though, that it is the DOH or the local government’s call to declare an outbreak in the area.
For the meantime, the IPHO conducted health teachings, household chlorination, and treatment for the victims while the Municipal Government takes care of the water source. — /JPM (FREEMAN)