TACLOBAN CITY – Death toll from diarrhea outbreak in Samar provinces rose to 19 this week, with 1,456 persons have fallen ill to the disease caused by contaminated water and poor sanitation, the Department of Health (DoH) reported.
The DoH regional epidemiology and surveillance unit (RESU) received reports yesterday morning of three new fatalities from the towns of Catarman and Pambujan in Northern Samar. New casualties are children below five years old.
DoH-RESU chief Roderick Boyd Cerro confirmed the diarrhea outbreak in Samar province. These are in Calbiga (215 cases with two deaths), Catbalogan City (204 cases with five deaths) and Sta. Rita (114 cases with three deaths).
The health department has stepped up the monitoring in other areas as more local health workers sent report of newly-affected areas this week.
In Samar province, other seriously affected areas are Pinabacdao (19 cases with two deaths), Sta. Margarita (eight cases with one death), Talalora (28 cases with two deaths), Daram (one case with one death).
Diarrhea cases have also been detected in other towns, but no single casualty was recorded. These are in Hilongos, Leyte (316); Jipapad, Eastern Samar (54), Zumarraga, Samar (82); and Basey, Samar (5).
The youngest casualty is four months old and the oldest is 75 years old, but most victims are children below 10 years old. (PNA)