DOH: Diarrhea looming as common 'summer disease'

National Epidemiological Center head Dr. Eric Tayag said cases of diarrhea usually go up around summertime when there are several fiesta celebrations around the country. “Sa summer magiging uso ang diarrhea dahil sa pistahan at kainan na kung di mahusay ang paghanda ng pagkain, food poisoning ang labas at diarrhea rin ito," Tayag said in an interview on dwIZ radio on Monday. (This summer, there may be many diarrhea cases because of fiestas and eating. If the food is not prepared well, food poisoning and diarrhea may result.) Meanwhile, other health officials advised Filipinos to apply sunblock, be wary of street food, and always be fully hydrated during the summer. “Mag-sunblock tayo. At uso ngayon ang nagtitinda ng street food, siguraduhing maayos at malinis ang ating bibilhin," Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, head of the DOH’s emerging and reemerging infectious diseases unit, said in an interview on dzBB radio. (We should not hesitate to use sun-block. And with street food being sold openly, we must make sure the food we buy is clean.) He said the sunblock would protect people from sunburn as temperatures are expected to go higher as the summer peaks. Lee Suy added the extra caution in buying street food will help prevent food poisoning or diarrhea. However, he said the most important reminder during the summer is to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration under the summer heat. “Just make sure we are fully hydrated," he said. 20 deaths due to diarrhea Meanwhile, 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. – VVP, GMA News