DOH: Cholera, not amoebiasis outbreak in San Carlos

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — An outbreak of cholera and not amoebiasis occurred in San Carlos City in Negros Occidental.

Citing findings by the Epidemiology Bureau of the Department of Health (DOH), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Joe Recalex Alingasa said seven of the 22 specimens tested positive for cholera.

The DOH sent a team of epidemiologists to San Carlos to verify a reported outbreak of amoebiasis, which prompted the declaration of a state of health emergency by Mayor Renato Gustilo.

The DOH said local government units should seek guidance before declaring a state of health emergency.

Alingasa admitted that the laboratory at the San Carlos City Hospital can only detect amoebiasis, but not the bacteria that causes gasteoenteritis.

Gustilo lifted the state of health emergency last week after amoebiasis cases dropped.

Alingasa said gastroenteritis cases in the city also decreased.

“It is still not clear where the illness started but we are regularly conducting weekly monitoring and water analysis of water refilling stations,” Alingasa said.

The city government’s waterworks department conducts regular chlorination of the water system, he added.