Eastern Samar diarrhea incidence now under control - DOH

TACLOBAN CITY, March 29 (PNA) – The diarrhea infections, which killed a five-year-old boy and afflicted 43 others in Dolores, Eastern Samar in the past four weeks, is now under control, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday.

The DOH categorized the incident as serious since it claimed someone’s life, prompting them to continue the close monitoring in the town, some 254 kilometers northeast from this city.

“Everything is now under control after a team from the regional office worked with local health workers to prevent the spread of the illness,” said DOH regional epidemiology and surveillance unit head Roderick Boyd Cerro.

The young fatality from Barangay (village) 2 suffered dehydration. At least 15 victims were rushed to the Dolores Community Health Center since early March, Cerro said, citing a March 28 report.

Patients vomited and suffered abdominal cramps, watery stools, body weakness, and fever after drinking contaminated water, he said.

The illness was noted in eight villages, but the health department has not declared an outbreak in Dolores town since the cases were sporadic. (PNA)
Sarwell Q. Meniano