Two patients test positive for typhoid fever

Two patients confined at Toledo City Hospital were confirmed to have typhoid fever based on results of a rapid test yesterday.

Reynan Cimafranca, chief of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU-7), said the two patients from barangay Subayon, Toledo City have been suffering fever for three weeks and manifested typhoid symptoms.

Typhoid fever’s symptoms include headache, malaise (weakness), anorexia (loss of appetite) either diarrhea or constipation and abdominal discomfort.

It is transmitted through contaminated food and water or through close contact with someone who is infected.

Treatment for the illness are antiobiotics such as ciprofloxacin maybe given to adults. Cetriaxone (injectable antibiotic) may be given to pregnant women and children

“We considered these as probable cases because of the rapid testing conducted although it’s not yet laboratory confirmed,” Cimafranca told Cebu Daily News.

RESU-7 is waiting for the results of the stool and sensitivity exam of three other patients of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) that will be released today.

As of 10:30 a.m today, RESU-7 recorded 32 suspected cases with 14 admissions. One male patient has been under observation since Monday at VSMMC after he was referred for further management due to his floated belly.

Cimafranca said the water sources ) in sitio Bayabas and sitio Lumboy have not yet been cleaned after they tested positive for ecoli and fecal coliform bacteria.

RESU-7 distributed 35 water containers with aqua tablets to the households in the affected barangay since Monday.