Cholera cases in Negros Occidental have reached 26, a provincial health officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang disclosed.
According to the official, the outbreak” could be due to poor sanitation.”
Tumimbang said authorities are monitoring local water sources in Talisay City, Silay, EB Magalona, Victorias City and Calatrava for possible contamination, ABS-CBN News reported.
The provincial government earlier said it did not record a single cholera case in 2019.
Tumimbang said authorities must also monitor water refilling stations to check if water being sold in these stations undergo proper treatment.
Cholera is caused by consuming food or drinking of water contaminated with human waste. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and rapid dehydration, according to the Department of Health.
The World Health Organization earlier said that it saw a “worrying upsurge of cholera outbreaks around the globe over the past year”, with at least 27 countries reporting outbreaks.
“Although cholera can kill within hours, it can be prevented with vaccines and access to safe water and sanitation, and can be treated easily with oral rehydration or antibiotics for more severe cases,” said WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, in another report.
An international stockpile of cholera vaccines was created in 2013. Last year, 27 million doses were shipped around the globe. But with the increasing number of outbreaks, the world body said “supply cannot keep up with demand.”
Reports said extreme weather events such floods, typhoons and droughts are inevitably reducing the access of vulnerable families to clean and potable water and instead create an ideal environment for cholera to further spread.