Baguio City has officially declared an acute gastroenteritis or diarrhea outbreak as the number of cases has risen to more than a thousand on January 10, 2024.

In 2022, only 20 cases of food and water-borne diseases were recorded in the city. In 2023, this increased to 34.

However, in just the first three weeks of 2024, over 1,600 cases of diarrhea were reported, prompting Mayor Benjamin Magalong to make the declaration.

Among those affected are 14 members of the Querubin family from Rizal who visited Baguio during the recent holiday season.

They experienced symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, which prompted them to seek medical help. 

Mary Grace Querubin, one of the family members, shared that they visited Baguio on January 5, 2024 and ate at a local establishment where they drank service water.

After being hospitalized, some family members continued to experience abdominal pain.

"Ang hirap umuwi… antagal ng biyahe namin.. umabot kami ng five hours kasi lahat ng stop over, hinihintuan namin dahil lahat natatae,” Querubin said.

Magalong revealed that even he and some of his relatives fell victim to diarrhea.

An emergency meeting was convened by the local government to address the escalating situation.

The City Health Services Office is conducting a thorough investigation into possible water contamination.

Water samples are set to be collected from around 300 establishments and households for testing.

"We will be up on our toes and doing a lot of water testing, and actually on our meeting with the mayor this morning [January 10, 2024] we are partnering with BCPO to help us on the water testing, as fast as we can, and if its positive we can do the bacteriological examination," Dr. Cel Brilliantes, Baguio City Health Officer, said.

The results are expected to be released on January 12, 2024.

As a precautionary measure, the public has been advised against drinking tap water until the test results are available.

Meanwhile, healthcare facilities in the city are prepared to handle an increase in diarrhea cases.

"I think kaya naman ng mga hospital na i-accomodate kasi hindi naman sila nagtatagal sa hospital since OPD naman," Victoria Malicdan, Senior Health Program Officer at DOH-CAR, said.