2 dead, 34 hospitalized in Tacloban waterborne disease outbreak

Rain could worsen the outbreak of waterborne ailments in Tacloban City, Mayor Alfred Romualdez warned on Tuesday, October 25, as he ordered sanitation teams to check water refilling stations providing supplies to a relocation village where 19 residents have been hospitalized.

In a briefing, health officials said at least two persons have died and 34 others are in hospitals.

“This is a very serious issue, especially that we are experiencing rains. We are checking all sources of water in the city,” Romualdez said.

The shear line and the intertropical convergence zone brought rain to several areas in the Philippines, including Eastern Visayas, on Tuesday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration is also monitoring a low pressure area inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

The lack of access to potable water makes residents of the most affected village, Sto. Niño, dependent on refilling stations.

Other villages affected are San Isidro, Santa Elena, Calvary Hill, and Marasbaras.

Aside from those hospitalized, some residents are also ill but remain at home, according to City Health Officer Danilo Ecarma.

He said 24 patients were admitted to the Eastern Visayas Medical Center and 10 to the Tacloban City Hospital.

Doctors suspect the outbreak of acute diarrheal infection to be cholera, which is caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria, but only two cases have been confirmed. Samples from suspected cases have been sent to the Department of Health for testing.

– Rappler.com