(PNA photo by Alfred Frias)
MANILA – The country's cholera cases almost quadrupled, logging 3,729 infections for the first 10 months this year as compared to the same period in 2021, a health official said Tuesday.
In a media briefing, Department of Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the total tally from January to October this year is 282 percent higher compared to the 976 cases recorded in 2021.
Most of the cases were reported in Eastern Visayas, Davao Region, and Caraga.
From Aug. 28 to Sept. 24, about 258 cases were recorded and the regions with the highest number of cases include Eastern Visayas, Bicol Region and Western Visayas.
Vergeire said the most common cause or source of cholera, which affects children mostly five to nine years old, is contaminated drinking water.
Children between five to nine years old are the most common age group that are affected with cholera.
“We know that tag-ulan ngayon, maraming pagbaha, maraming mga napupunta rito sa ating mga evacuation centers natin and because of this kind of calamity ‘yung water systems natin mostly affected lagi (It is the rainy season, many stay in our evacuation centers, and because of this kind of calamity, water systems are mostly affected),” she said.
A total of 33 deaths due to cholera were reported nationwide. Of the tally, three fatalities were reported in July; nine in August; and two in September.
“May mga namamatay dahil kasi ang cholera kapag 'di naagapan nagkakaroon ng severe dehydration ang mga pasyente (People die from cholera because it could lead to severe dehydration),” she added.
Immunocompromised individuals, senior citizens and young children are at most risk of dying from cholera. (PNA)
