Badian victims now safe

CEBU, Philippines - Badian residents who were hospitalized for vomiting, diarrhea and fever are now safe, according to Dr. Cristina Giango, chief of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO).

Health authorities, though, have yet to determine whether their illness was brought by water or food contamination.

There were 79 such cases reported and more than 40 were admitted at the Badian District Hospital, most of them students of the elementary and high schools in Barangay Tubod.

Initial investigation said most of the victims had taken ice water, juice, and ice candy sold in the area. Personnel from the IPHO went to Badian yesterday to conduct water sampling.

Giango said it is not yet certain if it was food or water that caused the disease. The sanitary inspector of Badian had informed her that food are also being sold outside the school campus.

Giango, along with her IPHO team, conducted a health education activity for the victims, the relatives and other residents of the barangay.

They urged residents to boil their water before drinking, to make sure that the food that they will eat is clean and make proper sanitation a lifestyle especially on proper hand washing.

“We advised them that next time they should be careful and they should promote proper sanitation as this will help them to have a healthy living and will get rid of the diseases brought by irresponsible food and water intake,” she said.

The IPHO also provided medicine to the victims such as antibiotics, dextrose and oral rehydration solutions. Giango also scheduled a “pulong-pulong” in the affected barangay on Monday. (FREEMAN)