Diarrhea kills 8, downs 200 in Sulu

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Eight persons have died and more than 200 have been affected with diarrhea in three barangays in Pata, Sulu since two weeks ago.

At least 56 of the victims were hospitalized.

The outbreak was traced to contaminated wells in Barangays Sangkap, Likud and Kanjarrang, Kadil Sinolinding Jr., health secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said yesterday.

Sinolinding said personnel of Task Force Sulu as well as special operations and Marine units helped in the medical mission in affected barangays. He said contaminated wells were sealed to contain the spread of the disease.