DOH: Calamba typhoid outbreak contained

The Department of Health and the health office of Calamba, Laguna declared yesterday that the typhoid outbreak in the city is “now contained.”

But in a medical bulletin, Dr. Gerardo Bayugo, DOH-Calabarzon director, and Dr. Rizaldo Flores, incident chief of the Calamba health office, said that “control measures and intensive surveillance and monitoring” must continue “until such time that the risk from secondary transmission and dangers from possible carriers have been sufficiently addressed.”

“In addition, monitoring of the various resorts and similar establishments in the city needs to be intensified to assure the public of safe and health places to enjoy,” they added.

Calamba health authorities declared an outbreak of typhoid fever in the city last February after residents in six barangays started to fall ill. The outbreak was blamed on supposed contaminated water supply.

Officials decided to declare that the outbreak has already been contained after observing that for the past two weeks, typhoid cases have gone down to the “pre-outbreak level.”

“Control measures which include adequate chlorination of water sources, regular monitoring of water quality and intensive advocacy campaigns for proper hygiene and sanitation were initiated and currently being implemented,” Bayugo and Flores said in the medical bulletin.

They added that results of water sampling and monitoring of the different pools, resorts and similar facilities were “within the acceptable limits.”

Records showed that around 2,400 residents contracted typhoid, two of whom died.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) said latest water quality tests conducted by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through its Regional Standards and Testing Laboratory, has confirmed the cleanliness and safety of the water being supplied by the Calamba Water District (CWD).

This, LWUA said, again debunked claims that contaminated water from the CWD caused the typhoid fever outbreak that hit parts of the city.

Tests of the laboratory section of the DOST-RSTL, Regional Office No. IV in Los Baños, Laguna, according to LWUA, showed that all water samples taken for coliform and bacteriological examinations from different points of the CWD’s distribution system that were suspected to have been contaminated with salmonella typhi, yielded negative results.

On the other hand, the LWUA said a few samples taken from sources outside of the CWD system, including private deep wells and even water refilling outlets, tested positive for total coliforms.

The latest test was done last March 17 by the DOST, with the agreement and presence of members of the ad hoc committee formed by Calamba Mayor Joaquin Chipeco Jr. to handle the typhoid fever crisis, the LWUA said.

The committee included representatives of the city government and the DOH regional office and provincial and city health officers.

In an independent test that it conducted, the LWUA said it also confirmed the safety of the CWD’s water system, as samples taken from various points yielded negative results on coliform and bacterial contamination.