Wednesday, March 19, 2008 Health office declares typhoid outbreak in Samar
AFTER Laguna, the Department of Health (DOH) has declared another typhoid outbreak in Barangay Alegria, Zumarraga, Samar after 150 persons were rushed to hospitals due to typhoid fever.
Eric Tayag, head of DOH-National Epidemiology Center (NEC), said a total of 144 residents have already been affected by the water-borne disease.
"Because of continuous rains, the water run-off affected the residents' source of water and contaminated it," Tayag said.
He said it has been a long time since the town suffered one case of typhoid, thus making the high number of present cases already considered an outbreak.
The DOH is conducting water disinfection procedures, and at the same time enforcing the medical personnel to treat cases.
Water sampling and blood samples are also being conducted in order to confirm the type of typhoid affecting the residents.
"Residents are also being taught on how to sanitize their drinking water," Tayag said.
About 500 residents of Calamba City in Laguna were afflicted with typhoid fever last month after drinking contaminated water. (MSN/Sunnex)
