Five dead, more than 200 sick due to diarrhea outbreak in Davao de Oro barangay

Five people died and more than 200 got sick after a diarrhea outbreak occurred in Monkayo, Davao de Oro earlier this week.

"As of last night, may 212 cases. Five ang patay. Isa sa mga nasawi ay isang three years old. ['Yung mga edad nila ay] 38, 41, 88, 78 and three years old na namatay kahapon ng umaga," Monkayo Mayor Ramil Gentugaya said in an interview on Dobol B TV on Saturday.

(As of last night, there were 212 cases. Five died. One of the fatalities was three years old. The fatalities' ages were 38, 41, 88, 78 and three years old who died yesterday morning.)

Of the 16 wards or "purok" in Barangay Pasian, nine had diarrhea cases, he said.

Gentugaya said it was Wednesday morning when residents began experiencing diarrhea.

Some of them however waited until afternoon to go to the health center, as they were initially afraid to seek medical attention since diarrhea is a symptom of COVID-19, he added. By then, however, some were already severely dehydrated.

"'Yung mga nag-report sa health center (na residente), malala na, severely dehydrated na," the mayor said.

(The residents who reported to the health center were already severely dehydrated by then.)

Gentugaya said the barangay captain felt something was wrong when residents would come one after the other even before the ambulance could return from a health facility where it brought a patient stricken with diarrhea.

"Pinaikot niya 'yung BHW [barangay health workers] natin at doon nalaman na sa Pasian, mahigit 100 na ang may LBM," he said.

(The barangay captain sent out the barangay health workers to go around and that's when they found out that more than 100 residents have loose bowel movement.)

Gentugaya said the residents said they only drank water before they experienced symptoms.

One resident also gave water to his pet dog, and the dog died, he added.

The three-year-old who died however did not drink water but was breastfed by by the mother, the mayor said.

Initial test results showed that bacterial contamination from the water caused the diarrhea.

"Bacterial contamination ang lumabas na resulta sa tubig noong Wednesday," Gentugaya said.

(Bacterial contamination was the result of tests conducted Wednesday.)

However, the mayor said he already had water samples taken and the result will be out on Monday.

The water source is owned by a private individual, he said. The barangay had a memorandum of agreement with the owner for the supply of water to the community. The community has been using water from the said source for the past five to 10 years.

However, the barangay council and the water source owner have conflict, and this is one angle the provincial government is looking into if it has a bearing on the water contamination, the mayor said.

Gentugaya said it is only now that a diarrhea outbreak occurred in Monkayo.

The provincial government and the Philippine Red Cross joined hands to have water tankers go to nine wards and supply communities with water, he said. 

Gentugaya added the water source was not used for five days to drain the reservoir and disinfect it.

Meanwhile, some of the affected residents recovered already. Others are still at the health center for observation, the mayor said. —KG, GMA News