Borbon typhoid cases an ‘outbreak’

CEBU, Philippines - A local health official yesterday admitted that a typhoid outbreak is happening in the northern Cebu town of Borbon, as three of its barangays have already recorded over 70 cases.

From the initial two barangays (Lugo and Clavera) nearby Cajel was already included yesterday on the list of affected areas, which are just along the national highway and are roughly five kilometers from town proper.

Most of those affected were 10 to 20-year-olds, with the youngest patient only three months old while the oldest was 48.

Department of Health-7 Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) Chief  Rennan Cimafranca said the sudden increase of patients showing symptoms of typhoid fever is a manifestation of an outbreak of epidemic proportion.

“Wa man namo gi-declare pero mura na man. Di na man gud kinahanglan i-declare kay ang number of increase unusual kaayo. I-check man gyud na ang mga previous records nila. Wa man kaayo silay ingon ana nga kaso,” he said.

He further pointed out that the water source of the said barangays does not have a proper chlorinator, which they observed when they went to Borbon Tuesday and Wednesday this week to investigate the cases and extract blood samples from suspected patients.

The water tank is located in Lugo, where the three affected barangays source their water supply from.

“Ang results sa tubig (The water tested) positive sa (of) fecal coliform,” Cimafranca said.

“Nakita nato ang fecal coliform gikan sa reservoir ug mga gripo sa pipila ka barangay nga random natong gi-check,” he added.

The investigation of RESU further led to the discovery that a lunangan (wallow) is located just three meters away from the water tank. (FREEMAN)