MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) is closely monitoring cholera cases in the country following reports of an increase in the number of cases of the disease worldwide.
The DOH has now strengthened the campaign for clean water after recording 67 patients who died due to Cholera this 2022.
Based on data surveillance by the DOH-Epidemiology Bureau, there have been 5,860 cases of cholera reported from January 1 to November 26. The number of cases this year in 2022 is 282% higher than in 2021 in the same period when there were only 1,534.
“Despite this, no local governments have declared an outbreak as cases remained manageable thanks to the close coordination of hospitals and the Health Department in monitoring and treating patients,” according to DOH Secretary Officer-in-Charge Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire.
Most of the cases reported were from Region VIII (3,620 or 62%), Region XI (810 or 14%), and Region III (336 or 6%).
Nationwide, 67 deaths or case fatality of 1.1% were recorded. It is also higher compared to last year which only had a 0.8% case fatality rate.
The DOH’s actions include coordination with local governments to ensure safe drinking water in communities, elimination of people’s habits such as defecating everywhere especially in waterways and proper disposal of feces.
Some of the DOH’s advice to the public is the frequent washing of hands especially when eating, make sure that drinking water is clean, that food is properly cooked and not raw, and that food that has not yet been eaten should be stored in a cool and dry container for not smooth.
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