The typhoid outbreak in six barangays of Calamba, Laguna had worsened, victims have increased from 241 to 500 persons. I’ve watched the news last night, JP Rizal Memorial Hospital (provincial hospital) had set up tents at the hospital grounds to accomodate the increasing number of patients. Some patients are confined at the nearby town hospitals.

Update: The local government of Calamba, Laguna declared state of calamity as of March 6, 2008 because of the typhoid fever outbreak.

What bothers me now is the report that the water in Calamba, Laguna had passed the water bacteriology test. The ancestral home of my Aunt is there, if I remember it right, their water there is nawasa. The town folks of Calamba and DOH (Department of Health) cannot think of possible reason of the typhoid outbreak but the water in their area. If its not the water, where did the outbreak came from? Laguna is a nearby province which we frequently visits during summer season. Although, we used to buy mineral water when we are out of town, this is alarming.

Typhoid fever is an illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. Common worldwide, it is transmitted by the fecal-oral route — the ingestion of food or water contaminated with feces from an infected person. The bacteria then multiply in the blood stream of the infected person and are absorbed into the digestive tract and eliminated with the waste. The organism is a Gram-negative short bacillus that is motile due to its peritrichous flagella. - taken from wikipedia

Did you know that the municipality of Paranaque City is strictly implementing the monthly water bacteriology test to restaurants and similar estblishments? They’ve started implementing it two years ago but this year they are really strict about the issue. The water bacteriology test costs php 300 - 350. The ice should be test too, that’s an additional php 600-700 to your monthly expenses. I don’t know if the same requirement applies to other municipalities and provinces in the Philippines. I support the requirement, its for a good cause. BUT, the local government should start demanding for a better water service first to Maynilad.

I’m drinking 2-3 liters of water daily. A liter of premium gasoline is almost php 50, exchange rate today is $1 = php 40.71 and 1 liter mineral water is Php 20. Think about it…

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