(Photo from DOH Eastern Visayas)
TACLOBAN CITY 鈥� The Department of Health (DOH) has reported 1,046 cases of acute watery diarrhea in Eastern Visayas from Jan. 1 to mid-February this year.
The situation is largely due to prolonged rainy days.
The number of cases is still lower compared to a year ago.
DOH Eastern Visayas regional information officer Jelyn Lopez-Malibago gave the information in a phone interview on Thursday,
She also said the count in the first six weeks of the year is lower by 24 percent compared to the 1,376 cases logged in the same period in 2024.
Eastern Samar province recorded the highest number of patients at 304, followed by Samar, 224; Biliran, 216; Leyte, 114; Northern Samar, 106; Tacloban City, 62; and Ormoc City, 20.
鈥淒espite clusters of cases in 41 villages across the region, no outbreak has been declared,鈥� Malibago told the Philippine 黑料社 Agency.
鈥淒OH defines an outbreak based on a significant rise in cases over the past five years, local government capacity, and recommendations from health authorities,鈥� she noted.
The decline in acute watery diarrhea cases early this year is attributed to preventive measures such as awareness campaigns, advisories during flooding, and the distribution of water testing kits, she added.
The DOH funded the acquisition of 99 water testing kits to local governments last year, significantly increasing the number of kits available in towns and cities.
Previously, water testing kits were provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to Rez Dacoco, DOH regional coordinator for food and waterborne diseases.
Dacoco said diarrhea鈥攍oose, watery, and possibly more frequent passage of stool鈥攊s a common problem during rainy days as runoff contaminates water sources, especially in open sources.
Meanwhile, Dacoco reported that suspected cholera cases in the region significantly dropped by 79 percent, from 564 cases last year to 118 cases this year.
Southern Leyte recorded the highest number, with 90 cases concentrated in the towns of Padre Burgos, Macrohon, and Maasin City.
The situation is largely attributed to damaged water sources caused by Typhoon Odette in 2021.
鈥淒OH continues to monitor waterborne diseases and urges local government units to prioritize water safety. Even purified water from refilling stations isn鈥檛 guaranteed safe unless tested,鈥� Dacoco added.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
Symptoms will manifest between 12 hours and five days after ingesting contaminated food or water.
Among its symptoms are acute diarrhea, vomiting, and rapid dehydration.
The illness affects children and adults and can kill within hours if untreated, according to the WHO.
Aside from cholera, contaminated water can also cause acute gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, dysentery, and amoebiasis, the DOH said.