Philippines One of Only 30 Countries With a Cholera Outbreak in 2023

The Philippines is number one in a lot of things. It is number one in online child sex trafficking. It is number one in social media users. It is number one in the amount of time spent on Pornhub. And now the Philippines is number one in cholera cases for the Western Pacific region.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/897390/philippines-only-country-in-western-pacific-with-cholera-in-2023-who/story/

The Philippines is one of only 30 countries that reported cholera or acute water diseases (AWD) cases in 2023, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The 2023 WHO Global Cholera and AWD Dashboard records 708,200 cholera cases worldwide, including in nine countries where at least 10,000 cases were monitored. 

More than 4,300 deaths were also reported.

"While data from 2023 cannot be directly compared to the more detailed official reports submitted to WHO for 2022—when there were 472,697 cases and 2349 deaths—the marked increase in preliminary figures for 2023 suggests a concerning escalation in global cases and deaths associated with cholera," the WHO said in its report. 

The Philippines is the only country in the Western Pacific Region to have a cholera outbreak last year.

Latest data from the Department of Health (DOH) shows 3,756 cholera cases reported last year, including 19 deaths.

According to the WHO, cholera is an “extremely virulent” disease that can cause severe acute watery diarrhea due to ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

This infection affects both children and adults and can kill within hours if untreated.

Being one out of only 30 countries to report a cholera outbreak puts the Philippines in an exclusive class. Here is a map showing the other 29 countries which reported a cholera outbreak in 2023. 

https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/multi-country-outbreak-of-cholera--external-situation-report--11---12-february-2024

The DOH says there was 3,756 cases and 19 deaths in 2023. But why does cholera continue to plague the Philippines? Because of the lack of access to clean water. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1211483

The Department of Health (DOH) regional office in Eastern Visayas has reported 3,683 cholera cases with nine deaths from January to September this year, slightly higher at 4 percent than the 3,556 cases recorded in the same period in 2022.

Of the total cases, 2,996 were treated in hospitals, and the rest recovered through home treatment, DOH regional information officer Jelyn Lopez-Malibago said in a phone interview Tuesday.

Of the nine deaths, Eastern Samar and Samar provinces recorded three each, Leyte had two, and Northern Samar had one. Most patients who died of cholera were children.

The youngest fatality was a seven-month-old boy, while the oldest was a 93-year-old woman. The latest death was recorded on July 13.

The DOH report said 1,390 cases were in communities that lack access to safe drinking water in Eastern Samar.

Malibago said the DOH has intensified its information drive to prevent the spread of cholera.

They also strengthened their technical assistance to local government units to end the outbreak in some areas, she said.

“To prevent the possible surge of these diseases, especially during the rainy season, the Department of Health recommends the practice of good personal hygiene. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before preparing or eating food, after using the toilet, after clean-up activities, and handling particles coming from public places and after attending to a sick person,” Malibago added.

The DOH urged the public to clean all utensils, equipment, and surfaces before and after cooking; thoroughly wash and cook all meat, seafood, and vegetables; eat properly prepared food; and eat food while it is still hot.

Drinking water from known sources, boiled or treated with chlorine is highly recommended.

“By undertaking these tasks, we will be able to attain better health outcomes in Eastern Visayas and reduce the number of food and water-borne diseases cases and deaths,” Malibago said.

While the people do bear a responsibility for their health and well-being it is the government's mandate to provide the people with clean water and proper sewage systems. Much of the pollute water people are using is fouled by human waste. 

The fact that the Philippines made this exclusive list is a testament to the dysfunctionality and ineptness of the government. Let us congratulate the corrupt politicians who run this nation for this accomplishment.

Davao City Refuses to Enforce Health Ordinances

A recent diarrhea outbreak occurred in Davao killing six people and causing others to be hospitalized. The outbreak was traced to mishandling of food. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1180656

The culprit of the diarrhea outbreak in Toril district here was due to food contamination, the City Health Office (CHO) said Friday.

“I announce that the diarrhea outbreak was due to a foodborne microorganism, with Vibrio cholera as the pathogen of concern. The most likely vehicle of transmission is contaminated food,” CHO acting chief Dr. Ashley Lopez said.

At least six infected persons died from the virus outbreak in Toril that began on July 15.

Lopez said a male patient was the latest fatality of the outbreak who died on July 24.

Rectal swabs done on the affected cases showed that 60 percent turned out positive in the bacteriological culture testing, he added.

Based on the CHO investigation, he said diarrhea patient cases have gone down to 217 cases as others that were previously recorded were not related to the outbreak.

Of the figure, 163 or 75 percent of the admitted cases have recovered.

“There are now only 11 individuals remaining, or 5 percent of the total affected cases in the hospitals being treated. Twenty-six cases were treated in the outpatient department of hospitals, while 11 other cases are still for verification,” he said.

Of all those infected, 41 percent had episodes of eating and drinking at food stalls in Rasay Street in Toril, while 21 percent of the cases ate and drank at the district’s public market.

The remaining 38 percent are from multiple sources but are statistically insignificant to be considered as exposure for cases.

“Based on investigations, food may have been contaminated during preparation and handling by infected handlers. It was also found that proper storage, delayed serving, and unsanitary environment may have contributed to the food contamination because of exposure to elements,” Lopez said.

Meanwhile, Toril Police Station Police chief Maj. Carol Jabagat said the city will not file any charges against the street vendors.  

However, a policy will be released that will serve as the guidelines for the food establishments, she said.

Six people are dead and hundreds of others have been incapacitated due to the mishandling of food and the PNP says the city will not filing charges against any of the vendors. However, Mayor Duterte is singing a different tune.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1180629

Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte vowed to hold accountable the culprits behind the diarrhea outbreak in Toril District here that killed six people, saying the city may pursue charges.

“People have lost their lives just because of mishandling of food. I hope that you have put yourselves in the situation of the victims,” Duterte told reporters Thursday.

However, the mayor said he was disappointed by reports that families of the victims are not keen on pressing charges against the culprits.

“I told them if they decide to press charges, I will accompany them. However, the family said they would rather not,” he said.

“That is what I want,” he added when asked whether the city government will file charges instead.

Following the outbreak, Duterte said the local government will enforce additional policies for street food vendors before they are allowed to operate.

“I have already tasked the barangays and CHO to coordinate. Having a health card is only one of the requirements, there will be more. We cannot allow this to happen again. It is unacceptable,” he said.

Based on investigations, food may have been contaminated during preparation and handling.

It was also found that proper storage, delayed serving, and an unsanitary environment may have contributed to the food contamination because of exposure to elements.

By all means the city should charge these vendors for violating existing health ordinances. That Duterte asked the victims if they wanted to press charges is beside the point. It does not matter what the victims want. These vendors did not follow existing ordinances and six people are dead as a result. Did the Mayor ask the deceased victims if they wanted to press charges? What good is having laws if the city will not punish those who violate them? Once again this situation shows how ultimately the Philippines is a lawless nation.