200 hospitalized due to diarrhea, amoebiasis

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines – More than 200 people from 20 villages here have been hospitalized due to diarrhea and amoebiasis, reportedly caused by contaminated water.

City health officer Cherlina Cana-sveral said that last Monday at least 130 patients were admitted to the Gregorio T. Lluch Memorial Hospital here.

As of yesterday, the total number of patients has climbed to almost 300. Others were confined in private hospitals.

One hospital reported that it is running out of medicine for diarrhea and amoebiasis.

Canaveral said the outbreak might be due to contaminated water from an unknown source.

The city’s waterworks system has reportedly been rationing water to the villages after a water pipe burst early this month. Aside from the ration, some residents reportedly get water from other sources.

Canaveral said sanitary inspectors distributed water-purifying tablets to the affected villages.

Residents were advised to boil their drinking water for at least 30 minutes.

The health official said it could also be possible that the water from the busted pipe might have caused the ailment.

She said she was waiting for the results of a laboratory test conducted on a water sample taken from the pipe.

Christine Orbe, manager of the city’s waterworks system, said the pipe underwent repair three times but remains defective.