THE Davao City Health Office (CHO) reported that diarrhea cases have increased to 233, while one new death was reported on July 22.
Dr. Ashley Lopez, CHO-Head, said in an interview on the Davao City Disaster Radio that a 32-year-old male teacher, who was from Surigao, succumbed to death after his 24-hour admission to the Southern Philippines Medical Center.
Lopez said the patient went to Rasay Street Night Market where he had some street food and a Tapioca drink.
Lopez said the patient was initially admitted to a private hospital in the Toril area. Two days after his admission, he suffered severe dehydration with metabolic disorders, which led to his transfer to SPMC. He said the cause of death of the patient is acute renal failure which was attributed to dehydration.
The two deaths recorded earlier are of a 10-year-old boy who died due to severe dehydration, and a 67-year-old female who died due to complications from diarrhea. Lopez said that the City Government of Davao will assist the bereaved families as well as the victims of the diarrhea outbreak.
He also reported thar there is no increase in the number of barangays reporting an increase in diarrhea cases. At present, 21 barangays have reported diarrhea cases, 18 of which are in the Toril District and three are from others in the south of the city. The barangays that have already been identified are Alambre, Bangkas Heights, Baracatan, Bato, Binugao, Camansi, Catigan, Crossing Bayabas, Daliao, Daliaon Plantation, Eden, Lizada, Lubogan, Marapangi, Mulig, Sirawan, Toril Proper, and Tungkalan. There were also patients from Barangay Dumoy, Baliok, and Matina Aplaya. These cases have visited the night market of Toril and consumed street food.
Patients are admitted to Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), St. John of the Cross Hospital, Mediquest Hospital Davao, St. Felix Medical Hospital, Malta Medical Center, Viacrucis Medical Hospital, and Ernesto Guadalupe Community Hospital.
Lopez said the investigation is still ongoing and the results of the tests conducted are still not available. The probable cause of the incident remains to be either water-borne or foodborne.
Meanwhile, Lopez said that 400 Toril vendors attended and were trained on food handling as part of their interventions to prevent another diarrhea outbreak.
"Well-oriented na po itong ating mga vendors and nakasabot ni sila sa unsay sitwasyon nato karon (Our vendors are well-oriented and now understand the situation we are in right now),” Lopez said.
Also, Lopez said the City Social Welfare and Development Office has distributed food packs for the vendors and victims. KSD