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MANILA, Philippines – The World Health Organization and the Department of Health are now investigating a cholera outbreak in Catanduanes in the Bicol region.
This has been occurring in Catanduanes since January 2012, according to Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag.
From January to July 12, a total of 2,046 cholera cases were monitored in Catanduanes’ 11 towns. Most of the cases were found in Virac, the capital, as well as in San Andres and Pandan.
The WHO-DOH team wants to find out the cause of the outbreak and why this has not been contained.
“We want to know the behavior of cholera,” Tayag said, adding that there are cases where cholera lasts for weeks, months and even a year.
He cited Pangasinan, where a cholera outbreak also lasted for several months.
Contaminated water is usually the cause of a cholera outbreak in the Philippines. Most residents in the provinces get their water from deep wells.
This is why it’s important to prevent prolonged outbreaks because the problem limits residents’ access to their usual water sources, Tayag told reporters.
“We want to know what is really causing the long period of infection. Does it have something to do with the environment? Hygiene? Is the water dirty? Have they done anything to disinfect it? That’s what the [WHO-DOH] team wants to find out,” Tayag added. – Rappler.com
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