MANILA — Days following Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s declaration of an outbreak of gastroenteritis, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Tuesday that the spread has been contained.

• Mga kaso ng diarrhea sa Baguio bumababa na

In a press conference, Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag said that while around 3,000 cases of diarrhea were reported in the city, none of them died. Most of the cases were detected through self-reporting.

• Diarrhea cases in Baguio on 'downward trend'

The DOH earlier said fecal coliform was detected among some of the water samples that were tested.

“Pag sinabing fecal coliform, ibig sabihin ay galing sa isang tao na may sakit kaya po maaaring ito ang naging dahilan ng naturang outbreak sa Baguio City,” he said.

The Baguio City Health Office, Tayag added, was able to isolate two types of viruses, the norovirus and sapovirus, which are both pathogens responsible for diarrhea.

“Itong mga virus na ito na naging sanhi ng infectious diarrhea or acute gastroenteritis, kadalasan maliban sa diarrhea ay nagsusuka po… Itong mga virus na ito ay maaaring nakuha sa contaminated water na nakita naman na tinest sa water samples.”

The good news, according to the DOH, is that water sources in Baguio City tested negative for pathogens and microbes.

• Baguio Water District sources negative for fecal coliform

“Itong mga nag-positive ay sa nagde-deliver ng tubig. Kaya dahil sa mabilis na aksyon ni Mayor Magalong at DOH, ito ay na-contain agad.”

Illnesses in the coming months

With the strong El Niño expected to persist until February, the DOH is also on alert for different food and water-borne diseases, as well as heat-related illnesses.

“Very young and very old people may be at risk. Very important dehydration, exposure sa sun. ‘Yung heat illness, pwedeng tumindi, sunburn, heat exhaustion. ‘Pag hindi mo pinansin ‘yun at my heat exhaustion ka, tuluy-tuloy ‘yan sa heat stroke. ‘Pag hindi ka na-revive, pwede kang mamatay,” said DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa.

The Health chief also explained how the lack of water during El Niño can cause gastroenteritis.

• Viruses associated with stomach flu found in some stool samples: Baguio LGU

“‘Pag mainit, bumabababa ang tubig sa dam, kinu-cut ang tubig. ‘Pag luma ang distribution pipes, pumapasok sa pipes ang E. (Escherichia) coli.”

He advised households to let murky water from their faucets run continuously until it becomes clear. He also advised individuals to boil the water for at least two minutes before drinking.

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