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Fecal contamination of Baguio water sample detected; diarrhea cases reach 2,200

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Raphael Bosano and Arra Perez, ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Water from one sampling point tested by authorities in Baguio was found to be contaminated with fecal matter, authorities said on Thursday, as cases of self-reported diarrhea in the city reached 2,200. </p><p>The Baguio City Health Services Office confirmed to ABS-CBN News that initial results of water testing showed evidence of fecal contamination.</p><p>Water samples were collected from various areas of the city following an increase in cases of diarrhea since December 21.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a fecal contamination. So meron siyang bacteria, na nakikita rin sa feces, sa [dumi] ng tao. So maaari talagang affected din iyong ating ibang establishments. However, there&#x27;s only one [establishment]. We&#x27;re looking at the others pa,&quot; said Dr. Celia Brillantes, acting officer of the Baguio City Health Services Office.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/11/24/doh-tests-water-in-baguio-amid-diarrhea-outbreak">DOH tests water in Baguio amid diarrhea outbreak</a></li></ul><p>Brillantes said there has been an &quot;unusual&quot; increase of diarrhea cases since the first week of January. Cases were clustered in establishments, she said.</p><p>All the city&#x27;s districts have reported cases, she added, but none have been fatal or severe so far and patients were sent home with medication. </p><p>&quot;Unusual, it&#x27;s not common, and then ang daming kaso, and then may clustering of cases talaga. At the same time, it&#x27;s widespread, it&#x27;s a city-wide problem already,&quot; Brillantes said.</p><p>Health Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo clarified the DOH still cannot form a conclusion on the contamination pending results from the other sampling points.</p><div><strong>GASTROENTERITIS OR DIARRHEA </strong></div><p>Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Wednesday declared an outbreak of gastroenteritis. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/23/23/4-cordillera-activists-challenge-constitutionality-of-anti-terrorism-act">4 Cordillera activists challenge terror-tag, constitutionality of Anti-Terrorism Act</a></li></ul><p>But the DOH clarified that at this point, it would opt to refer to the cases as diarrhea rather than gastroenteritis.</p><p>“I understand that Mayor Magalong has declared an outbreak. Pero yung term kasi na gastroenteritis, it’s a technical term, it’s a diagnosis. There are other symptoms of gastroenteritis. Nandiyan yung pananakit ng tiyan, pagsusuka, minsan may konting lagnat,” Domingo said. </p><p>“Ang nakita natin talaga is diarrhea. Now this is the important part, marami ring pwedeng dahilan ang diarrhea... Katuwang natin ang Baguio City health office na nagtetest ng water.”</p><p>While she described the situation as &quot;alarming&quot;, the acting Baguio City health services officer said that there is already improvement, with the number of self-reported cases going down.</p><p>&quot;We are on top of the situation,&quot; Brillantes said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/12/23/bahagi-ng-baguio-city-public-market-nasunog">Bahagi ng Baguio City Public Market nasunog</a></li></ul><p>&quot;We are doing our best to get to the bottom of this, and in a few days, we hope that we can [see] lesser, reduced cases of acute gastroenteritis in the city of Baguio.&quot;</p><div><strong>FOOD-BORNE? </strong></div><p>Historically, water is the most common cause of diarrhea, according to Domingo. But since cases began to increase in December, health authorities were not ruling out the possibility that the cause was food-borne.</p><p>“Medyo on the radar pa rin, ano ba nangyari, kumain ba sila nang sabay-sabay sa isang party? Napanis ba yung nakain? We are very cautious in finding out ano yung dahilan,” the official said. </p><p>The health agency also said that while one sample could test positive, it still could not be considered as the source of diarrhea.</p><p>“The next question is ilan yung sources of water na nag positive for that particular agent. For example, bacteria or mikrobyo, maraming klase ng mikrobyo eh at iba rin yung gamot na ginagamit sa kanila. Yan din ay kasama sa outbreak investigation,” Domingo said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/10/04/23/baguio-among-cheapest-spots-for-year-end-holidays">Baguio among cheapest spots in Asia Pacific for year-end holidays: booking site</a></li></ul><p>Tthe DOH said the Epidemiology Bureau, Center for Health Development-Cordillera Administrative Region and the Baguio City Health Office were working together to determine the cause behind the diarrhea cases.<br/> <br/>Brillantes reminded Baguio residents to avoid drinking tap water in the meantime and instead use purified or re-boiled water and bring their own water when going out.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ThaQEC045_g?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Water from one sampling point in Baguio was found to be contaminated with fecal matter. 

Fecal contamination of Baguio water sample detected; diarrhea cases reach 2,200

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Fecal contamination of Baguio water sample detected; diarrhea cases reach 2,200

Raphael Bosano and Arra Perez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 11, 2024 04:14 PM PHT

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Updated Jan 11, 2024 04:58 PM PHT

Read More:

diarrhea

Baguio

health

DOH

fecal contamination

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