Diarrhea hits Sibulan, Negros Oriental

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The provincial chief of the Department of Health’s (DOH) office in Negros Oriental on Friday advised residents of nearby Sibulan town to boil their water prior to consumption to avoid diarrhea.

DOH-Negros Oriental head Socrates Villamor confirmed that the recent upsurge in diarrhea cases in the town was caused by contamination of a number of water sources due to open defecation and leaks in water pipes.

In the past two weeks, more than 150 people were reported to have been treated and/or hospitalized for diarrhea although the number of cases has already declined, based on the latest update this week.

Villamor further confirmed that some of the water samplings taken from water sources tested positive for E. coli bacteria.

DOH-Negros Oriental then recommended a massive chlorination of water sources, as well as boiling of water for drinking. It also distributed hyposol, a water treatment solution, to Sibulan households.

With the onset of the rainy season, open defecation poses a threat, with feces being carried by water runoff and causing flooding near the water source, while leaks in water pipes connecting to households from the water source can also cause contamination, Villamor said.

To prevent a repeat of the upsurge in diarrhea cases in Sibulan, its local government is continuing with its information dissemination to the residents.

“If you’re not certain that the water is clean and safe, just boil the water first if they don’t have hyposol,” Villamor added. —PNA