BAGUIO CITY — The Baguio City Health Services Office (CHSO) has reported an increase in acute gastroenteritis cases, driven largely by a rise in rotavirus and typhoid fever infections.

Recent surveillance data showed 163 cases reported from communities across the city, while another 332 hospital-reported cases are still undergoing validation.

Data from the Philippine Integrated Disease Reporting Units, which monitors cases in Baguio City’s sentinel hospitals, indicated an increase in several food- and waterborne diseases compared to the same period last year.

Cases of acute bloody diarrhea rose to 15 from June to July this year, up from nine during the same period in 2025. From January to July, cumulative cases reached 42, a 61-percent increase from 26 cases recorded last year.

Cholera cases remained low, with two cases reported from June to July compared to one during the same period in 2025. The cumulative total stood at five cases for both years.

Rotavirus infections posted the sharpest increase. The city recorded 84 cases from June to July, compared with 62 cases during the same period last year. From January to July, cumulative cases surged to 331 from 160 in 2025, representing a 107-percent increase.

Typhoid fever cases also climbed, with 52 infections reported from June to July, up from 35 a year earlier. Cumulative cases for the first seven months of 2026 reached 125, compared with 73 during the same period in 2025, or a 71-percent increase.

Despite the rise in reported cases, the CHSO said no deaths have been recorded from acute bloody diarrhea, cholera, rotavirus or typhoid fever this year.

The city sanitation division continues to monitor environmental health by regularly testing all drinking water sources in Baguio. The health office said issues detected during water quality testing have already been addressed.

As a preventive measure, residents are advised to boil drinking water for at least three minutes whenever the safety of the source is uncertain.

The CHSO also urged the public to drink only safe and potable water, wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before eating, preparing food and after using the toilet, and observe proper food preparation, cooking and storage practices.

Residents experiencing symptoms of acute gastroenteritis, including diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain, are encouraged to seek immediate consultation at their nearest district health center for prompt treatment and management.