Tuesday, November 25, 2008 226 more typhoid cases reported in Quezon
THE Department of Health (DOH) said that 226 new cases of typhoid fever were reported in Real, Quezon.
“Based on the latest report from the province, there were 226 new cases, bringing to 370 the total number of patients hospitalized at the Claro Recto Memorial District Hospital due to typhoid fever,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Initially 144 cases of typhoid fever, including one death, were previously recorded at the district hospital.
But despite the new cases, Duque said the additional typhoid cases do not necessarily mean that the incidence of the illness is still on the rise until this time.
“The cases appear to be increasing because many are seeking treatment, but not all those are confirmed typhoid cases. We just have to treat them even if they are just suspected typhoid cases,” he said.
He said this has to be confirmed first by laboratory test to determine if a patient is really afflicted with typhoid fever.
According to the health secretary, they already deployed a team of health experts to Quezon to help in treatment of the patients as well as in controlling the spread of the disease.
Duque said they have also provided the Quezon Provincial Government some P800,000 worth of drugs and other necessary equipment to control the outbreak.
Typhoid fever is an illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. It is transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with feces from an infected person.
Its symptoms include high fever, profuse sweating, gastroenteritis, and non-bloody diarrhea. (MSN/Sunnex)
