‘Test rivers in Cebu City for poliovirus’

MANILA, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has ordered the Cebu City Health Department (CHD) to conduct water testing in its rivers after Butuanon River in Mandaue City tested positive for poliovirus.

“It’s good that the Department of Health through its regional office will help us,” Labella said.

He gave assurance that a relocation plan is in place for those living near Butuanon River.

The river traverses Barangays Pitos, Talamban, Bacayan and San Jose in Cebu City.

Labella said the CHD conducted profiling of residents within the five-kilometer radius of Butuanon River after the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine confirmed that environmental samples from the river tested positive for poliovirus.

He said health workers conducted a survey to determine if there are residents with health concerns and if children completed their vaccination against polio.

“We will continue with our efforts with the city of Mandaue to clear and clean our waterways... At this point, we will not conduct a massive cleanup of the river... It is off-limits because of the report on the presence of poliovirus,” Labella said.