2 die of cholera in Zamboanga

Thursday, January 5, 2012

TWO persons in Zamboanga City have died of cholera, a water-borne disease, while two others have been hospitalized, a health official said Thursday.

City Health Officer Rodel Agbulos said all four victims are residents of Sibulao village, 63 kilometers east of the city.

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The fatalities were aged 17 and 25 while the two others who were hospitalized were aged 10 and 14. The victims were brought to the Zamboanga City Medical Center due to severe dehydration and diarrhea, he said.

"Based on the initial clinical presentation, it was 80 percent cholera, but still further laboratory test has yet to be conducted," City Health Officer Rodel Agbulos said.

He said the team of doctors and sanitary inspectors he sent to the village has not returned yet as of Thursday.

Agbulos went to Sibulao village Wednesday and advised villagers to observe proper hygiene and sanitation. He also advised residents to boil their drinking water especially if the water is sourced from deep wells and rivers.

"It is really important to observe all necessary measures of cleanliness, especially during the rainy season," he said.

Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that causes a large amount of watery diarrhea. It is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholera that is usually acquired from contaminated water and food. (Sunnex)