CEBU, Philippines- Most waterworks in two Cebu towns recently hit by typhoid do not have chlorinator to prevent and treat contamination, said an official of the Department of Health-7.
Rennan Cimafranca, chief epidemiologist of Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, said both Pinamungajan and Borbon have three water systems which are all run by the local government.
Pinamungajan typhoid was considered epidemic in proportion having reached 47 patients but was quickly controlled.
“The water source serving Camugao where the typhoid cases hit tested negative after previously testing positive for fecal coliform and e-coli. The other two are still positive,” Cimafranca said.
The case in Borbon, on the other hand, was only confined to one household of six individuals in Barangay Cadaruhan.
The waterworks in Cadaruhan, Cimafranca said, tested positive for fecal coliform but no other typhoid or water-borne diseases were reported.
The three water sources in Cadaruhan, Poblacion, and Lugo have yet to install chlorinators.
“We suspect that this was not caused by water. Perhaps this is because of food,” he said.
The three patients were relatives: two children aged 10 and eight have been admitted to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center while the third, an adult male, remained at home.
“We went to the area and found out that the third patient was incoherent. We cannot really say its typhoid psychosis. He was sweating, does not answer the questions correctly,” Cimafranca said.
The affected family, the DOH official added, is considered poor and has no sanitary toilet.
The town of Borbon has not also hired a new sanitary inspector to replace the one who retired. (FREEMAN)