Health authorities are monitoring at least 19 cases of suspected typhoid fever in one barangay of Tuburan town, midwestern Cebu.
The same town suffered an outbreak of typhoid related to unsanitary water sources that affected over a thousand residents two years ago.
The Tuburan District Hospital started admitting patients last Wednesday, but laboratory tests still have to be made to confirm the cases, said Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) Chief Cynthia Genesolango.
Most of the patients were adults although a 9-year-old child was admitted but there were no “morbid or very ill” patients as of yesterday.
“There were already signs of improvement in the patients who were admitted on Wednesday,” she said.
“But we’ll continue to be alert because of the outbreak in the area in 2012. Whether we have an outbreak or not, we will have to check on this closely,” she said.
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III received initial reports that one of the drinking water sources in the barangay was contaminated.
“We already sent a team to Tuburan to study the incident. Wewill wait for their reports to see what we can do to help,” he said.
Water refilling stations will also be inspected, said Genesolango.break yet.
Those suffering from typhoid and showing symptoms of the illness comes from barangay Montealegre.
High fever for 5 to 7 days, headaches, body weakness and diarrhea are common symptoms of the disease which can be spread through water and food contaminaed with human waste.
Typhoid is caused by the bacteria salmonella Typhi.
Residents were advised to boil their drinking water for 10 to 15 minutes and use chlorination in the water.
The DOH website advised that people must cook food well and cover them, and make sure surroundings are clean to prevent breeding of flies.
Vegetables and fruits must be thoroughly washed, especially those that are eaten raw.
Handwashing with soap and water after using the toilet is also essential in prevention, the DOH stated.
Rennan Cimafranca of the Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Unit of the Department of Health told Cebu Daily News that it is not an outbreak.
“The suspected cases are not yet clinically confirmed and as of now, the suspected cases are not increasing,” he said.
Water samples are being taken for testing.
He said people with symptoms of typhoid should see a doctor right away.
The Tuburan District Hospital has sufficient medication like oral rehydrating solutions, IV fluids, but when other medical complications arise such as bleeding of the small intestines and when surgery is needed, then we have to refer the patient to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City, said Genesolango.
In 2012, the DOH 7 declared a typhoid outbreak in Tuburan. At that time, local officials suspected that water pipes damaged by the earthquake that hit Cebu and Negros in February 2012 led to the contamination.