Dr. Eric Tayag, director of DOH’s National Epidemiology Center, said that Dr. Tony San Juan, an epidemiologist at the DOH-National Capital Region office, went to the city yesterday to review the medical records of Erwin Flava, 4, of Tala, Caloocan City.
Erwin died after suffering from severe dehydration caused by diarrhea. Initially, food poisoning was blamed for his death but doctors eventually suspected that he died of sepsis.
On the same day that Erwin died, five of his siblings also fell ill due to gastroenteritis. They are Ednalyn, 6; Erica, 5; Angel, 3; Roxanne, 2 and Eloisa, 1. But Erica died on Nov. 1.
Alvin Feliciano, of the city’s public information office, said that at least seven of the Flavas’ neighbors were also hospitalized due to diarrhea and vomiting.
They were identified as Ryan Regalado, 10; Precious Lara Haro, nine months old, and Rosemary Descutido, 30, and her children Joshua, three; Michaela, two; Rose, eight; and Maryll, three.
Feliciano said that last week, the victims were already experiencing stomach ache, vomiting and loose bowel movement but did not seek any medical attention.
They only decided to go to the hospital after two of the children died.
"Initial findings showed the children died due to dehydration but this is yet subject to medical examination," Feliano said.
He said the medical experts suspect the victims acquired the illness from the drinking water they fetched from a neighbor’s house.
Tayag noted the DOH would look for the possible cause of the children’s death. But since an entire family was affected, it will be the water source that will primarily be investigated.
He said that sepsis and diarrhea are inter-related so the DOH wants to know "which came first." – With Jerry Botial, Pete Laude