15 die in Palawan diarrhea outbreak

PALAWAN , Philippines  – Fifteen people including several children have died due to diarrhea outbreak in a mountainous barangay of Batarasa town in Palawan, health officials said.

Palawan health officer Dr. Edwardo Cruz in a phone interview confirmed that 15 residents of Sitio Apad-Apad, Barangay Culandanum died due to severe diarrhea from March 15 up to the present. 

“Our local health official in Batarasa Dr. Louie Ocampo had confirmed the deaths but we’re still gathering information on the cause of the outbreak” Cruz said. 

Cruz added that they are now in the process of testing the water supply or the food possibly taken by the victims that caused their death. 

“We’re having a hard time in getting the information on the outbreak since it will take four to five hours travel by foot for our medical team to reach the area” Cruz said.

Meanwhile, Cruz immediately ordered an information dissemination on the neighboring barangays and conducted preventive measures to counteract the outbreak.

“We already distributed medicines and water acti-bacterial solutions to the residents near the area to prevent the spread of the outbreak” Cruz said. 

Cruz however have yet to identify the fatalities. 

Ocampo, in a separate interview said they were only informed on the incident a few days ago.