Health officers confirm cholera outbreak in NCotabato

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines - Health authorities on Friday confirmed that the dysentery that plagued four barangays in North Cotabato was caused by Vibrio cholerae and that tetracycline is now being administered to patients. 

Physician Rosario Bandala, municipal health officer of Alamada, told reporters that 438 villagers, out of 769 that complained of painful abdominal spams, nausea and diarrhea, tested positive to Vibrio cholerae.

Eight villagers, some of the minors perished due to dehydration after contracting Cholera in an outbreak that began May 10.

“The rectal swabs taken from the sick villagers tested positive to cholera,” Bandala said.

Alamada’s municipal administrator, Ruben Cadava, said they have enough medicines and health workers, sent to the municipality by North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza.

"The governor immediately acted on the outbreak by sending medicines, intravenous fluids, and health workers from the IPHO (Integrated Provincial Health Office). We are grateful to the provincial government," Cadava said.

Cadava said the whole town will remain under state of calamity until health authorities will declare the Cholera outbreak as contained.

“We are also  thankful to the Department of Health in Region 12 for attending to our needs” Cadava said.