DOH working with LWUA to prevent diarrhea spread in Palawan

After confirming that the deaths of some 20 members of an indigenous tribe in Palawan was caused by diarrhea due to polluted water, the Department of Health (DOH) has coordinated with the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) to prevent the spread of the disease there. National Epidemiology Center head Dr. Eric Tayag said on Monday the situation in Bataraza town in Palawan has “stabilized" but the DOH has sought LWUA's help in providing the residents with clean water. Tayag said they want to make sure the diarrhea outbreak does not spread to other towns. He said their investigation showed the outbreak stemmed from cholera as local residents drank polluted water. So far, he said there has been no new reported case of diarrhea in Bataraza. “Kailangan masusi nating malaman pa kung saan kumakalat para masabing contained. Ang short-term, ipakulo ang tubig. Pero ang long term, kailangan ayusin ang linya ng tubig. Ang pakikipagugnayan sa LWUA, ginagawa natin para ma-prioritize ang Bataraza sa taong ito," Tayag said in an interview on dwIZ radio. (We have to determine where the outbreak has spread before we can say that the situation has been contained. The short-term solution is to boil water. The long term solution, we have to fix the water pipeline. We are coordinating with LWUA to give priority to Bataraza residents.) On the other hand, he said they are keeping watch over Rizal town in Palawan, a neighboring town of Bataraza where the deaths occurred. “May tinitingnan ngayon ang team natin ang katabi Rizal town. Ang mga katutubo dito pumupunta at maaring naikalat ang diarrhea sa ibang lugar," he said. However, Tayag said the DOH has confirmed at least 20 deaths from a diarrhea outbreak in Bataraza town that began in March. Worsening the situation was that many of the residents did not wash their hands, ensuring the spread of the disease. “Nakumpirma ng pamahalaang lokal na cholera ang sanhi dahil sa pag-inom ng maruming tubig (The local government had confirmed that the fatalities drank polluted water and contracted cholera, then died of severe dehydration)," he said. – VVP, GMA News