Gastroenteritis outbreak in Baguio contained – DOH

THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said the gastroenteritis outbreak in Baguio City has been contained less than a week after it was declared by the city government.

Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag credited the local government for its swift action to arrest the surge in gastroenteritis cases in the city.

“Because of the swift actions undertaken, we were able to immediately contain the outbreak,” Tayag said.

Based on latest data from the Baguio City Health Office, he said around 3,000 acute gastroenteritis and diarrhea cases recorded.

Tayag said no deaths were recorded while some 600 individuals needed to be hospitalized.

Tayag also said that based on epidemiological surveillance, many of the cases were caused by the fecal coliform bacteria.

“With fecal coliform, this means that it came from a sick individual and may have caused this outbreak in Baguio,” he said.

He said there are also cases caused by the norovirus and the sapovirus.

“Symptoms of these viruses are usually gastroenteritis or diarrhea with vomiting,” said Tayag.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong declared a gastroenteritis outbreak in the city om January 10 after the city saw a sharp increase in the number of people suffering from diarrhea and acute gastroenteritis.