Typhoid outbreak hits more than 1,400 in Laguna

March 5, 2008
GMA News.tv

MANILA, Philippines - More than 1,400 people have displayed typhoid symptoms in less than a month in a city near the Philippine capital, prompting authorities to declare a state of calamity, health officials said Wednesday.

Extra medical teams have been sent to assist doctors and conduct disease surveillance in Calamba, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said.

Of 1,477 people with typhoid symptoms, 436 have been treated in the city's six hospitals and the rest in local community health centers since Feb. 16, said Dr. Dennis Labro, spokesman for the city's health office.

Only 37 of those cases have been confirmed with blood tests because the typhoid test is expensive, Labro said.

"So far there are no reported deaths, thank God," Labro said.

The outbreak was concentrated in five adjacent villages in Calamba, about 55 kilometers (34 miles) from Manila, and the salmonella bacteria that caused the illness may have been spread via the water system, based on the speed at which the outbreak grew, he said.

But Labro was hopeful that the outbreak was under control.

"There are still cases coming in, but these are fewer in number compared to the past few days," he said. "I hope the trend continues. We are somehow able to control it."

Typically, typhoid symptoms include high-grade fever, stomach cramps, diarrhea or constipation and general malaise. In extreme cases, the small intestine could be perforated, leading to death if left unattended or not treated properly.

Labro said the city's 50-bed government-run hospital was so swamped when the outbreak peaked Feb. 25-27 that corridors were used to accommodate patients.

The city declared a state of calamity Monday, allowing it to immediately withdraw emergency funds for antibiotics and intravenous drips, he said. The Red Cross and the health department also sent medicine and doctors. - AP