Thursday, August 14, 2008 Diarrhea downs 23 in La Trinidad village By Jane Cadalig
TWENTY-three individuals from a village in La Trinidad were hospitalized due to a diarrhea outbreak in their area, the Benguet Provincial Health Office (PHO) said.
The PHO said 62 persons suffered from the diarrhea outbreak, but 39 of them were outpatients.
The increasing number of diarrhea cases admitted to the Benguet General Hospital (BEGH) prompted health officials in the province to investigate the matter.
Investigation revealed that patients admitted to BEGH attended an interment in Barangay Bineng in the town on July 27.
Seven sitios (sub-villages) of the barangay were affected. Two residents from Sitio Sablan who attended the burial were also hospitalized at the BEGH.
According to health officials, the Alumit creek, where a pipe was connected leading to the dead person's house, was positive for E. coli, as revealed by a bacteriological analysis done on the water.
They said the water source was surrounded by a temporary shelter for laborers, who have no sanitary toilets, and a sayote plantation where organic and inorganic fertilizers were applied.
The PHO advised the community not to use water coming from the creek and other unimproved water sources. Households were also told to either boil or chlorinate their drinking water.
Construction of sanitary toilets for households without restrooms and personal hygiene were also recommended.
