BOHOL OUTBREAK: Contaminated water likely dysentery cause

The outbreak of dysentery in 39 villages in Loon town in northern Bohol that has downed 186 people was likely caused by contaminated water supply, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

"When there is an epidemic of dysentery, contaminated water source is the usual suspect. In this case, we also found out that the chlorinator system of the Loon Water District bogged down before the end of 2006," said Dr. Eric Tayag, the DOH’s chief epidemiologist.

He said this showed that the chlorination of water being supplied by the water district was not optimal.

"(The dysentery outbreak is) almost under control. Our strong advice has been to conduct a house-to-house chlorination of water. We have coordinated with all concerned local government units about this," he told The STAR.

From Dec. 25 to Jan. 24, the DOH had recorded a total of 186 dysentery cases from 39 of Loon’s 67 barangays.

Tayag said the villages hardest hit by the outbreak are Basac, Biasong, Cogon Norte, Ticugan and Sondo.

He, however, admitted there is a possibility that not all of the victims acquired the disease directly from their water sources.

"A person-to-person transmission could have transpired. There could be a fecal-oral route," he said.