Typhoid fever outbreak downs residents in Leyte towns

published November 9, 2011 in BusinessWorld

TACLOBAN CITY -- A suspected typhoid fever outbreak believed to be caused by a contaminated water source has killed a three-year-old boy and afflicted over 200 others in four Leyte towns, the Department of Health (DoH) regional office said yesterday.

Roderick Boyd S. Cerro, DoH regional sentinel nurse, said in a telephone interview that patients with typhoid fever symptoms from the towns of Carigara, Capoocan, Tunga and Barugo have been admitted to various hospitals in the province since the second week of October.

“The water requirement of these four towns is being supplied by Metro Carigara Water District (MCWD). We believe there’s a problem with their water source. It’s the common denominator,” Mr. Cerro told BusinessWorld.

He said authorities were scheduled to obtain water samples from the utility this week for laboratory analysis. The utility serves 5,000 water concessionaires in the four towns. MCWD officials could not be reached for comment.

Margilda O. Espinosa, nurse supervisor at the Carigara District Hospital, said in a separate telephone interview that a three-year-old boy with fever died in their hospital on Nov. 4 after six hours of confinement.

The fatality was from Barangay Guindapunan East of Carigara town, 53 kilometers away from this city.

Ms. Espinosa said the hospital has continued receiving patients suffering from fever as of yesterday.

“We cannot confirm yet that it’s typhoid since we do not have a facility to test if they are positive of that illness but we have proceeded with treatment,” she said.

Other common symptoms that the patients showed were stomach pains, headache, loose bowel movement, vomiting, and loss of appetite.

As of yesterday, Mr. Cerro said 152 victims have been admitted to the Carigara District Hospital, 45 in Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Tacloban City, and 14 in Divine Word University also in Tacloban City.

The DoH has distributed medicines to the affected communities. Health authorities also advised the public to boil water for drinking, clean their immediate surroundings, and wash their hands regularly.

Typhoid fever (Salmonella typhi) is an illness that is transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food or water. (Sarwell Q. Meniano)