Baguio gastro outbreak over — Magalong
Because of the surge of diarrhea cases, the local government resolved to be more stringent in checking on compliance of private water delivery services to health standards.
BAGUIO CITY — The local government here announced that the outbreak of diarrhea which sent many Baguio people and visitors to health facilities is finally over.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong Jr. declared the outbreak over last Wednesday following the over 3,000 cases of acute gastroenteritis illness logged by the local government since the last week of December 2023.
Magalong disclosed that the Baguio Water District claimed that all of its water sources safe from any contamination after testing them.
“We are now officially out of the woods,” Magalong said, adding that the city is on the endemic phase where diarrhea cases are back to normal rate.
To recall, the local government conducted massive testing to private water refilling and delivery services businesses in the city and because of the surge of diarrhea cases, the local government resolved to be more stringent in checking on compliance of private water delivery services to health standards.
“Measures, standards and parameters are now being strictly enforced,” Magalong said. “We are also ensuring that the public and private water delivery services will be highly-compliant to health and sanitation standards.”
According to Magalong, there is a need to review the sanitation code of the city. He said the city government should come up with a safe water ordinance.
Meantime, acting City Health officer Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes revealed that investigations showed that deep wells where water delivery trucks source their supply — which are then delivered to households and establishments — caused the outbreak.“Several customers resorted to water delivery because of the high demand for water due to the increased visitor arrival in the city,” said Brillantes, adding that at least 12 deep wells were found to be positive for coliform or organisms that are present in the environment and feces of warm-blooded animals and humans.
She said further tests showed that seven of these deep wells had the presence of intestine-living Escherichia coli or E-coli, which is suspected to be due to run-off water contamination.
Magalong, on the other hand, said they have ordered operators of the deep wells and the water delivery services that caused the outbreak to cease operations for now.
“They cannot operate until they are cleared,” Magalong said.