Magalong declares end to gastroenteritis outbreak in Baguio City

Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Thursday announced that the gastroenteritis outbreak in the city, which affected more than 3,000 individuals in the past days, is already over.

At a press briefing, Magalong said he met with officials from the Department of Health (DOH) earlier in the day and extensively discussed the epidemiologic investigation on the outbreak that hit the city.

“As a result of that, we can confidently say that we are already out of the woods. The outbreak is over,” he said.

“We are now shifting to an endemic level wherein we’re now experiencing the usual occurrences of disease in our population in the City of Baguio. Meaning, ito na ang normal na mga diarrhea cases na nararamdaman natin [the diarrhea cases that we are experiencing are now normal],” he added.

Magalong declared an acute gastroenteritis outbreak on January 10, after some residents and tourists experienced vomiting, stomach ache, and diarrhea.

The DOH said the increase in diarrhea cases in Baguio started on December 21, 2023.

Magalong said authorities have mostly identified the cause of the outbreak and how it spread in the city.

Outbreak over

City Health Services Officer Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes explained that the outbreak was declared over as water sources have been identified, cases have been significantly going down, and there were no clustered cases reported since the peak of the outbreak on January 7-8.

“The cases resulted from a water-borne source which means water sources have been contaminated. We had samples tested positive for nanovirus… however, bacterial culture is still ongoing and it cannot still be ruled out for bacterial pathogens,” she said.

Magalong also told residents that water sourced from the city’s water district is “completely and absolutely safe” to drink.

“In short, you can now drink directly from the faucet. Ganon ka potable ang water natin. Ganon kalinis ang water natin [our water is that clean and potable]. There is no contamination insofar as Baguio district’s water supply as long as it doesn’t pass through an intermediate storage,” he said.

Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag earlier on Tuesday said that the acute gastroenteritis outbreak in Baguio City has been contained.

Contaminated water

Meanwhile, Dr. Donabel Panes of the City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit said a probable chain of transmission is the delivery of contaminated water from raw water sources to houses by bulk water delivery trucks.

Magalong said seven out of 12 water sources tested positive for E. coli while 12 tested positive for coliform.

“Human sources tested positive for norovirus and other... However, it is still ongoing, and bacterial pathogens cannot be ruled out. Since 50% of those isolates are positive for Norovirus, the possibility of human-to-human transmission or person-to-person contact explains the spread of the infection,” Panes said.

(Human sources tested positive for norovirus and others... However it is still ongoing, and bacterial pathogens cannot be ruled out. Since 50% of those isolates are positive for norovirus, the possibility of human-to-human transmission or person-to-person contact explains the spread of the infection.)

The most common symptoms include acute diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, according to the doctor.

Panes also said a total of 383 cases consulted doctors with an average age of 27 years old between December 26 to January 15.

She said individuals affected ranged from a three-month-old child to a 90-year-old elder.

“It seems that all age groups are affected. Walang pinili ‘yung ano natin. But the one that they saw with the highest admissions are the pediatric age group, which is— we understand. Kasi kapag bata nga naman ang nag tae, ang nanay dadalhin talaga ‘yan sa hospital,” she said.

(It seems that all age groups were affected. The outbreak was not choosy. But the ones with the highest admissions are the pediatric age group, which is— we understand. Because if children experience diarrhea, their parents will bring them to hospitals.)

Downward trend

Meanwhile, Panes said they are seeing a downward trend in cases. She said that compared to cases in the past seven days, they observed an 80% decrease in cases from 1,620 to 300.

Magalong, meanwhile, said they will now investigate the liability and culpability of the water delivery services.

“Meaning, inspekin na namin ‘yung kanilang mga sources. At the same time ‘yung kanilang mga truck, equipment, pati na rin ‘yung kanilang processes. Pati ‘yung kanilang mga records,” he said.

He said the water services were already directed to undertake sanitation procedures.

Magalong also said that there were silver linings regarding the outbreak.

“One is nakita natin na kailangan pala natin baguhin ‘yung ating sanitation code and probably come up with a separate safe water ordinance. Another is kailangan pa pala natin mag-implement talaga ng more stringent na mga kwan, na mga policies, to ensure na talagang compliant sila sa standards,” he said.

[One is we have to change our Sanitation Code and propably come up with a separate water ordinance. Another is we need to implement more stringent policies to ensure that these will be complaint to standards.]  — RSJ, GMA Integrated News