153 persons recover from diarrhea in Davao City villages
153 persons recover from diarrhea in Davao City villages
Dr. Ashley Lopez, the acting city health officer in Davao City reported Wednesday (July 27) that a total of 153 individuals have recovered from diarrhea since the outbreak was officially declared in Toril District here on July 17.

The City Information Office (CIO) in its report said that recoveries make up 53 percent of the 288 cases recorded as of July 26 based on data from the Incident Command Center (ICC).

According to Lopez, out of 153 recoveries, 47 are from Toril B Health Center, 24 from Mediquest Hospital, 20 from St. John Hospital, 16 from Ernesto Guadalupe Hospital, 14 from Malta Medical Hospital, 11 from the Southern Philippines Medical Center, 9 from St. Felix Hospital, 8 from Viacrusis Hospital, one from the Adventist Hospital, another one from Anda Riverview Medical Center, and one from a private physician. 

The other one is still under verification to determine if the case was linked to the outbreak, he said.

Lopez said the recoveries are good news.

Currently, there are still 39 patients or 14 percent are under hospitalization, 63 or 22 percent are outpatients and 22 or 10 percent are for verification. 

These patients are residents of Toril District particularly in Alambre, Bangkas Heights, Baracatan, Bato, Binugao, Camansi, Catigan, Crossing Bayabas, Daliao, Daliao Plantation, Eden, Lizada, Lubogan, Marapangi, Mulig, Sirawan, Toril Proper and Tungkalan. 

Lopez, however, said that the cases from Tungkalan are still under verification because the cases there might not be related to the outbreak.  

A separate report will be submitted by the CHO regarding this matter.

Lopez also noted that the number of daily cases decreased from the highest number of 78 recorded cases in one day on July 15 to only four cases on July 24. Currently, there are 130 active cases in hospitals.

The CHO already recorded five deaths since the outbreak. The latest death was a 36-year old male, who is about to get married.

Lopez said the patient ate street food and tapioca along Rasay St. Toril on July 14. He manifested diarrhea symptoms starting July 15 and tried to manage the disease at home until July 22. On the same day, he was rushed to St. Felix Hospital and due to the severity of his case, was transferred to the Adventist Hospital hospital but he died in the emergency room and was declared dead on arrival. 

The cause of death is severe dehydration and massive electrolyte losses. 

Lopez said that the patient could have suffered from "bacterial sepsis", which resulted in complications and multiple organ failures. He also noted that the patient reportedly did not immediately seek medical intervention at the onset of symptoms and tried to manage the symptoms on his own.

He said that 97 or 34 percent of the patients were exposed to street food from Rasay St. Toril and 53 or 18 percent were exposed at the Toril Public Market.

"We have blocked the possible transmission that is related to food and water-borne disease, adding that among the activities conducted is the temporary stoppage of street food selling on Rasay and the Toril Public Market,” he said.

"We are able to gather 400 street vendors and let them undergo testing, orientation and food handlers class. As of now, they are still not allowed to sell street food but I want to assure them that it will not take long before this suspension will be lifted,” Lopez said.

Lopez confirmed that they have already received the final report from the Epidemiologic Bureau on their findings on the cause of the diarrhea outbreak and they are now in the process of consolidating all of the findings of the laboratory test results conducted to come up with a "final conclusive comprehensive report" that will be presented to Mayor Sébastian "Baste" Duterte on Thursday afternoon (July 28).

Diarrhea patients can still go to the ICC in Toril Health Center B fronting Magsaysay Elementary School for free medicine such as Doxycycline among other options. 

The ICC which is open 24/7 also distributes granules for the sterilization of water.

Contributed Photo

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