NEGROS OR. HEALTH OFFICE KEEPS EYE ON RISING DIARRHEA CASES

CITY—Authorities in Negros Oriental were keeping a close watch on the rise of diarrhea cases in the province, with at least 21 patients recorded in less than a week.

Dr. Liland Estacion, head of the Provincial Health Office (PHO), said the cases recorded during the last week of July were still “sporadic,” with patients coming from the adjoining towns of Ayungon and Bindoy

“We are now trying to determine the cause or the source of the infections,” he said on Aug. 2.

Most of the patients were admitted to the Bindoy District Hospital with two of them diagnosed with amoebiasis.

“More cases were reported but they were outpatients treated for diarrhea and still from the same towns,” Estacion said.

Amoebiasis or amoebic dysentery is an infection of the intestines caused by a parasitic amoeba Entamoeba histolytica. Symptoms include lethargy or a lack of energy and enthusiasm, loss of weight, colonic ulcerations, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

These illnesses can be prevented by boiling of water for drinking, keeping surroundings clean, washing hands after using the toilet and before eating; and maintaining proper personal and food hygiene.

Provincial health personnel went to the two towns on Aug. 1 to look into the possible sources of the contamination and to distribute water purification tablets and rehydration solutions to residents.

Estacion said samples of the different water sources in Ayungon and Bindoy and rectal swabs from some patients were collected for laboratory testing.

She believed that water contamination triggered the infections, especially that many areas in the province experienced heavy rainfall for days spawned by Supertyphoon “Egay” (international name: Doksuri) and the southwest monsoon.

“I appeal to the public to always boil water before drinking and to hydrate themselves when coming down with diarrhea symptoms, which is usually prevalent during the rainy season,” Estacion said.