Water, jelly drink caused cholera

Provincial health officials, DOH 7 confirm cholera, amoebiasis in Sabang, Danao

Water from areas in Barangay Sabang, Danao City tested positive of contamination, said Capitol Public Information Officer chief Ethel Natera

PROVINCIAL Health Office head Cynthia Genosolango said preliminary laboratory findings confirmed that a Cebu Mitsumi Inc. worker has cholera.

The Provincial Epidemiological Unit also confirmed that a patient has amoebiasis while another has cholera.

They have yet to get results from patients in other hospitals.

The water from areas in Barangay Sabang, Danao City tested positive of contamination, said Capitol Public Information Officer (PIO) chief Ethel Natera.

Sago’t gulaman, a jelly drink sold outside Mitsumi, is also suspected as a culprit.

The Department of Health (DOH) 7 urged the Danao City Government to strictly require food handlers and beverage sellers to have medical permits.

Dr. Jaime Bernadas, DOH 7 director, told reporters yesterday that a jelly drink vendor was the main cause of the ailments.

Bernadas said most of the patients told them they drank sago’t gulaman before they got sick.

The sago’t gulaman vendor was apprehended and told not to sell his wares again.

Bernadas said they have sent their recommendations to the Danao City Government.

Bernadas recommended that before the City issues work permits, food and beverage handlers must undergo orientation on proper sanitation.

He also advised the management of the Cebu Mitsumi Inc. that food and beverages sold to their employees should be prepared inside their facility.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium vibrio cholerae.

Dehydration

After less than a day to five days, a person with cholera feels the symptoms, such as profuse waterish and whitish diarrhea that quickly leads to severe dehydration and death if not treated immediately.

Capitol sent an epidemiological surveillance unit to Sabang to test the water in Mitsumi and of the food stalls outside.

Natera said water samples from the local waterworks tested positive of e-coli while samples from Mitsumi tested negative of contaminants.

Samples from an icemaker whose water is sourced from the local waterworks also tested positive of fecal organism.

She said laboratory tests on one of the patients also tested positive of vibrio cholera, the germ that causes cholera infection.

Mitsumi physician Regina Tan confirmed last Feb. 13 that 200 workers complained of stomach pains and diarrhea as early as Feb. 9. Of the number, 55 were admitted in six different hospitals in Consolacion and the cities of Danao and Cebu.

Genosolango said there are no more reported hospital admissions and half of those who were hospitalized has been discharged.

She said the incident is now under control.