BONTOC, Mountain Province – Nine dengue cases were recorded in the four central barangays of Bontoc while eight barangays recorded a total of 11 typhoid fever cases in May this year.
Per the report of Nurse I Venous Faith Cofulan who represented Municipal Health Officer Diga Kay Gomez during the 2nd Quarter Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) meeting held on June 15, 2022, in Barangay Mainit, Bontoc Mountain Province, dengue cases were recorded in Bontoc to include two cases each in Barangays Caluttit, Samoki, and Bontoc Ili and three in Barangay Poblacion.
Meanwhile, Barangays Samoki, Bontoc Ili, Maligcong, Mainit, Guina-ang, and Talubin have each recorded one case of typhoid fever while Barangays Poblacion and Caluttit recorded two and three cases, respectively.
With this, the Municipal Health Office (MHO) has started to conduct Information Education and Communication (IEC) Campaign on Dengue and Environmental Sanitation in Barangays Can-eo and Tocucan. It was participated in by parents, teachers, barangay officials, Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), Rural Health Midwives, DOH-Human Resources for Health, SK officers, and personnel from the MHO.
Further, the MHO initiated the “Oplan Taob” activity on June 13, 2022, in Barangays Poblacion and Samoki with the aim to search and eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.
Sanitation Inspector II Nissan Gulian and Nurse I Achilles Feckleng, Jr. who is also the Municipal Epidemiology Surveillance Officer spearheaded the activity and was participated by the barangay officials, personnel from the Bontoc Municipal Police Station (MPS), Mountain Province State Polytechnic College (MPSPC) Criminology students, and MHO staff.
Meanwhile, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 856 also known as the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines Chapter II, the MHO conducted water testing of all the water sources in the municipality.
After the collection of water samples from the different water sources in the 16 barangays, the samples were brought to Bauko Water Laboratory for bacteriological examination.
The findings of the examination indicate that out of the 60 water sources in Bontoc, only six water sources including Ampik-i in Balili, Tongyub in Bayyo, Arupey and Paranjay in Mainit, Chakit and Fato in Guina-ang tested negative for Coliform Bacteria.
Accordingly, Coliform bacteria are organisms that are present in the environment and in the feces of all warm-blooded animals and humans. Coliform bacteria will not likely cause illness. However, their presence in drinking water indicates that disease-causing organisms (pathogens) could be in the water system.
With this, the public is reminded to take precautionary measures and is encouraged to boil the water first before drinking since boiling is the surest method to kill disease-causing germs, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Meanwhile, repeat testing of the water samples that tested positive for Coliform Bacteria will be scheduled.
