BAGUIO CITY — Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong in the afternoon of 18 January 2024 declared that the outbreak of diarrhea that sent many Baguio people and visitors frequently to the toilets and even health facilities was finally over.

The acute gastroenteritis illness that reached over 3,000 cases since the last week of December prompted the City Government of Baguio to declare a diarrhea outbreak. After which, the authorities in the city launched epidemiologic investigations on water sources in the city.

A massive testing was also conducted on private water refilling and delivery services businesses in the city. On Wednesday, 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 stated during a press briefing at the Baguio City Hall Multipurpose Hall. The mayor added  that the city is on the endemic phase where diarrhea cases are back to normal rate.

Because of the surge of diarrhea cases in the city, the city government resolved to be more stringent in checking on compliance of private water delivery services to health standards.

“Measures, standards, and parameters, mas istrikto ngayon para sigurado tayo na highly compliant sila sa health and sanitation standards," he stressed.

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.