Typhoid fever, dengue cases rising in Eastern Visayas

PALO, LEYTE, Philippines — Health authorities yesterday reported one death in 178 typhoid fever cases and another fatality in 190 dengue cases in the region as the two diseases continued to increase in number from January to this month.

DOH regional director Dr. Edgardo Gonzaga said that one who died of typhoid fever was a 31-year-old male in Jaro town of Leyte, the province with the most number of cases at 56, and 23 of which were in Albuera town.

Northern Samar had 46 cases, Eastern Samar had 31, Biliran had 19, Samar had 17, and Southern Leyte had only nine.

DOH-7 sentinel nurse Frederick Boyd Cerro said the department has been investigating on possible cause of the illness, especially in Barangay Tabgas in Albuera where the most cases occurred.

The DOH has urged the public to regularly observe personal hygiene and environmental sanitation to avoid being afflicted by the disease.

On dengue cases, the fatality was a 17-year-old male in Javier town of Leyte, which also had highest number of cases at 109.

Southern Leyte followed the list with 44 cases, Samar with 13, Biliran with nine, Eastern Samar with eight, and Northern Samar with five.

In last year's DOH monitoring of dengue cases, Eastern Visayas had the highest number of cases among other regions in the country with 12,196 and 95 deaths. (FREEMAN)