CHOLERA OUTBREAK IN 3 BARANGAYS

We have declared a CHOLERA OUTBREAK in our three barangays, namely, Batea, 3 (Poblacion), and Tanza today [October 17].

It is unfortunate that we have recorded four cholera cases already (with one fatality), as per report of our Municipal Health Office. We have two cases in Tanza (where one patient died), and one case each in Batea and 3 (Poblacion).

The fatality was our third case: a 37-year-old male from Hacienda Manalo 5 in Barangay Tanza. He died of septic shock from infectious diarrhea and severe dehydration on Oct. 11. He was admitted at the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital (TLJPH) in Silay City on Oct. 10.

Our fourth case is a 60-year-old male, also from Hacienda Manalo 5 in Barangay Tanza. He was admitted at the TLJPH on Oct. 13, with heavy growth of Vibrio cholerae bacteria.

The second case was a 2-year-old boy from Barangay 3 (Poblacion). He was admitted at the TLJPH on Oct. 6. The baby was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis with severe dehydration. He was discharged already and is now in safe condition.

Our first case was a 30-year-old female resident of Sitio Tinapok in Barangay Batea. She was admitted at the TLJPH last Sept. 23 and had been discharged since and is now in stable condition.

Rest assured that your municipal officials and concerned agencies, including the Municipal Health Office, are on top of the situation.

We have visited the respective residents of these areas and have urged them to make sure their food and water are clean, and have advised them to boil their drinking water, or subject them to chlorination.

We have called for several urgent meetings with the Local Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Committee to implement more stringent measures to contain the cholera outbreak and avert the incidence of cholera and other water-borne diseases.

We have also met with the owners and operators of the water refilling stations in the municipality to reiterate our policy of “no permit, no business,” including sanitation permits.

Likewise, we urged all of them to subject their water samples to bacteriological testing with accredited DOH laboratories immediately, and post the safety clearance on conspicuous places of their stores.

Halong kita sa cholera, Saraviahanon!

MAYOR MARVIN M. MALACON
October 17, 2022