Alegria folk briefed on typhoid fever

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday gathered residents of Barangay Valencia in Alegria town to educate them about typhoid fever.

Dr. Expedito Medalla of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of DOH said it is important that the residents know how to prevent the disease from recurring.

A total of 135 individuals have been affected while two people have died when typhoid fever broke out last week in Barangays Valencia and Kanlaob. No new case was reported as of yesterday.

Medalla said yesterday’s “pulong pulong” also tackled environmental sanitation and proper way of disposing waste, among others. The residents were told to wash their hands properly, come up with “proper” rest rooms, and to boil their water for drinking to avoid the spread of the Salmonella Enterica bacteria.

Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a common worldwide illness, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella Enterica. Infection of the bacteria may lead to death if not treated immediately.

Common symptoms of typhoid fever include high fever, weakness, stomach pains, and a rash of flat, rose-colored spots. If left untreated, other signs and symptoms may develop, including intestinal bleeding, hepatitis, meningitis, and even death.

“Hopefully, the residents will be educated,” Medalla said.

Last December 2010, the DOH also declared an outbreak of typhoid fever in Alegria as over 300 were afflicted with typhoid. — (FREEMAN)