Five people have died from diarrhea, according to barangay officials in Inogbong in the town of Bataraza.
However, Palawan News sources indicated that the number of deaths attributed to vomiting, loose, watery stools, and maybe more frequent bowel movements could be higher. They said most of the victims belong to the Palaw’an indigenous peoples.
Marycris Alba, the village chief of Inogbong, verified in a message Tuesday morning that three of the victims were from Sitio Dubyan, one from Sitio Bayabas, and one from Sitio Saray.
“Hindi ko lang po nakuha ang mga eksaktong araw talaga kung anong araw sila isinugod sa hospital natin, nakarating ito sa akin, sobrang nakakalungkot ang pangyayaring ito, first time na magkaroon ng ganitong klaseng problema sa aking lugar,” Alba said.
According to Alba, health volunteers has also observed the same health concerns in other sitios like Paratongon, Capinpin, and Papan.
“Nitong huling linggo po ng buwan, yong mga health volunteers natin sa mga lugar na ito ay nagreport na sa atin na may suka, tae na kaso sa mga area na ito, kaya ipinangamba ko na rin agad ito. Hindi ko naman sukat akalain na ganito ang mangyayari talaga,” she said.
Alba said that the casualties were already turned over to their families for proper burial.
The barangay captain also assured that the local government unit through the Municipal Health Office is already providing them assistance to address the problem.
“Nailibing na rin itong lima, nakauwi na sa kanilang mga pamilya [ang mga labi], tinulungan na po tayo ng MHO at LGU, sana po di na madagdagan pa,” she added.
Alba feels that the water sources in these areas were tainted, resulting in the presumed outbreak in the region.
“Ang anim lugar po na ito ay IP community sa Inogbong, sa taas na po ito ng bundok natin, kaya nga po ang pinagkukunan nila ng tubig talaga doon ay tanging ilog lang at balon. Unang beses po itong nangyarin na nagkaroon ng ganitong mga kaso talaga at umabot na pagkamatay ng aking mga kabaranggay,” she said.
Based on barangay data, there are 129 households in the sitios of Bayabas, Saray, Paratongon, and Dubyan while there are 202 in Capinpin and Papan.
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