Aside from medicines, the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) recommends a new chlorination system for the reservoir used by three Borbon barangays affected by typhoid fever. (CDN PHOTO/CARINE ASUTILLA)
Health authorities declared a typhoid outbreak in three barangays in Borbon town, northern Cebu and advised residents to boil their drinking water and clean their surroundings to avoid contracting the disease.
Nearly 100 residents in barangays Lugo, Cahel and Clavera showed symptoms of typhoid fever, said Rennan Cimafranca, chief of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit in Central Visayas (RESU-7).
Seven out of nine blood samples taken from patients tested positive for typhoid fever which is caused by contaminated food or water.
Water samples taken from the town’s reservoir and water faucets of affected households also tested positive for fecal coliform.
RESU-7 recommended installing a new motorized chlorination system in the reservoir in sitio Makina, barangay Lugo, Cimafranca and stocked the health centers with medicines.
The Borbon municipal government is manually applying chlorine after their chlorination system was damaged.
Borbon municipal administrator Roland Bucog said they only use 20 liters instead of the required 200 liters of chlorine for the reservoir twice a week.
Dr. Cynthia Genosolango, head of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) said they sent a team to Borbon to assist the RESU-7 in dealing with the patients.
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