4 inmates die of diarrhea

Lucena City , Philippines  – Even vagabonds fear for their lives at the Quezon Provincial Jail when the death toll was raised to four from diarrheal outbreak.

According to Integrated Provincial Health Officer Dr. Agripino Tullas, the diarrhea outbreak was caused by contaminated water from the water pump which inmates use for drinking and cooking.

Tullas said the water pump is very near the inmates’ toilet in which coliform organism contaminated the drinking water. The bacteria can only be found in human feces, according to Tullas.

Inmates who died were Alberto Tomarce, 55, from San Narciso; Federico Fordan, 42, from Catanauan; Wilde Gabito, 47, all from Quezon Province and Edizer Pasion, 22 years old from Lucena City.

According to the report, 30 persons were affected by diarrhea and it later affected 70 inmates. They are now confined at the Quezon Medical Center.

The Quezon Provincial Jail has 1,081 prisoners, but the jail capacity is 600 only.

The IPHO sent nurses in the hospital, who will be on tour of duty to monitor the other inmates who could possibly be affected by the bacteria.  – Michelle Zoleta