IN HER book, “Fire Study,” Maria Snyder may have been talking about the Philippine experience of natural disasters: “There’s always another storm... Some are fierce and others are small. You have to deal with each one separately.”
The past few months, Mindanao experienced earthquakes in 13 different provinces: Agusan Del Sur, Catanduanes, Compostela Valley, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, North Cotabato, Occidental Mindoro, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao Del Norte, Surigao Del Sur and Zamboanga Del Sur. However, other parts in the country also experienced earthquakes during the same period. In the Visayas, four provinces had earthquakes: Antique, Dinagat, Eastern Samar and Leyte. In Luzon, 10 provinces also experienced earthquakes: Abra, Batanes, Batangas, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Pangasinan, Quezon, Sorsogon and Zambales.
Moreover, in October alone, two typhoons visited the country’s area of responsibility. Super Typhoon Hagibis last Oct. 11, and Typhoon Perla last Oct. 16, the latter not making landfall.
Natural disasters—such as earthquakes and typhoons—have been associated with a surge in tuberculosis infection, particularly among children.
Six researchers (Kristy Murray, Nina Carandang, Anna Mandalakas, Andrea Cruz, Lauren Leining and Salvacion Gatchalian), in cooperation with members of the PEER Health Bohol Pediatric Study Team, reported in the October 2019 issue of Emerging Infection Diseases four possible causes of this post-disaster Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
First, tuberculosis can be transmitted in crowded emergency shelters. Second, disruption of routine healthcare services, which involve preventive and therapeutic services, may exacerbate infection and transmission. Third, their age-related vulnerabilities make children susceptible to tuberculosis infection.
Filipinos in disaster prone areas must always remember this element in the risk they are facing in each natural disaster coming their way. It can help them protect themselves, while opening possibilities for helping others as well despite the grave situation.
Japanese author Haruki Murakami wrote in “Kafka on the Shore” (2002): “When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”