NewsDesk @bactiman63

Earlier this week, health officials with the Tacloban City Health Office reported some 192 hospitalizations due to cholera, including four fatalities.

City health officer Danilo Ecarma has declared an outbreak as the situation is already alarming due to the rate of new admissions daily.

Ecarma said an outbreak could be declared if there is one confirmed case.

“We ordered the stoppage of (the) operation of (the) water service provider in the area since samples gathered are positive of total coliform and e coli. They are the primary source of drinking water in communities where there are high cases,” Ecarma told reporters during a press briefing at the regional health office.

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City disaster risk reduction and management officer Ildilbrando Bernadas said checkpoints would be set up to restrict the movement of people from areas with high cases.

The Department of Health Eastern Visayas team, along with Tacloban health officials conducted a Cholera Case Assessment and Evaluation earlier today, October 29, 2022, at barangays 106 and 39, Tacloban City.

For more information on cholera, the Tacloban City Health Office published this video on their Facebook page:

Through October 1 this year, 3,890 cumulative cholera cases have been reported nationally, an increase of 286% over last year’s numbers.

The Eastern Visayas, or Region XIII, the region where Tacloban is located, has reported 2,622 total cholera cases, including 11 deaths through Oct. 1, by far the heaviest hit region by cholera.

This region has 136 municipalities along with 7 major cities. It is the home to six provinces including:

  • Biliran
  • Leyte
  • Eastern Samar
  • Northern Samar
  • Samar
  • Southern Leyte

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