Davao diarrhea outbreak death toll rises to 5

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The death toll due to the diarrhea outbreak in Toril district in this city has climbed to five.

City health office head Dr. Ashley Lopez confirmed yesterday that the latest fatalities were a 36-year-old man and a 23-year-old health worker.

One of the fatalities reportedly manifested symptoms after eating tapioca at a night market.

A 32-year-old teacher from Barangay Lubugan, a 67-year-old woman and a 10-year-old were the first three fatalities.

Health authorities said they are still waiting for the results of the water analysis as well as laboratory tests of specimens from patients and samples of street food.

Some of the patients said they fell ill after eating street food.

Lopez said 183 active cases were recorded as of yesterday, 53 of them confined in hospitals.