- CHERYL G. CRUZ
Bacolod City Health Officer, Dr. Ma. Carmela Gensoli, declared a cholera outbreak in Barangay Alijis, following three positive cases and an increasing cholera infection logged.
In CHO Advisory 1 dated Oct. 25 but made public Wednesday, Gensoli said “an increasing cases of cholera infection has been reported in Barangay Alijis that is causing alarm and apprehension to the residents.”
She said that cholera is caused by ingesting water or food contaminated by the cholera bacterium, causing an infected person to suffer from severe diarrhea and vomiting.
The declaration was made under Republic Act 11332, or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, and the city said “presumptive and confirmatory tests” will be conducted in Alijis “to ensure clearer diagnosis on the number of cholera cases and to alleviate the outbreak.”
Concerned barangay/s should also declare a state of emergency to prevent the possible spread of the infection to neighboring residents or areas.
“Disinfection methods will be consolidated and disseminated on household community levels to educate them on precautionary measures and treatment against cholera,” the city press release said, even as everyone is urged to practice basic hygiene and sanitation, and to be vigilant on the signs and symptoms of cholera.
Do not hesitate to report cholera cases for everybody’s safety, the CHO stressed.
The Business Permits and License Office will release the names of water refilling stations that are compliant with sanitary and safety regulatory standards for consumer awareness, and to ensure access to safe water, the city added.
The CHO reported that, as of Oct 17, it inspected 257 water refilling station, and found that 118 have been operating without permits./CGC
