The Department of Health (DOH) teams that arrived in San Carlos City are assisting the local government in stepping up water analysis in areas hit with acute gastroenteritis and amoebiasis cases.
Joe Recalex Alingasa Jr., City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer, said on Thursday, March 2, that all 18 barangays of San Carlos City have been hit with a total of 610 acute gastroenteritis and amoebiasis cases from January to March.
Two deaths have also been recorded, he added.
Alingasa said there were 107 cases in January, 459 in February and 44 in March, 60 percent of which were for amoebiasis.
There were 41 active cases at the San Carlos City Hospital and 24 home-managed as of Thursday, he said.
Mayor Renato Gustilo earlier declared a state of health emergency with the rise in the acute gastroenteritis and amoebiasis cases in San Carlos City.
The DOH central office sent an Epidemiology Bureau team to San Carlos City on Wednesday, Dr. Adriano Suba-an, DOH 6 regional director, said.
He said the team from Manila will augment the DOH regional team that was sent to assist San Carlos City earlier.
Provincial Health Office (PHO) personal are also assisting.
Alingasa said the San Carlos inmates hit with amoebiasis have already been discharged from the San Carlos City Hospital and a water source at the jail was found positive for E. coli.
DOH-VI Infectious Disease, Environmental and Occupational Health Section chief, Joemer Fayo, said water samples from the different areas of the city, especially places specified with the highest numbers of gastroenteritis cases, were taken.
They also took samples from water refilling stations, he said.
Fayo and his team brought water testing kits and medicines to San Carlos.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is thankful that the DOH has been sending teams to assist San Carlos City.
“It obviously is coming from water…it’s a reminder that those who are in the business of selling water should have monthly tests,” he said.
The situation in San Carlos is a concern that is being addressed by the San Carlos City government, the PHO and the DOH, he said.*