CITY ON GUARD TO AVOID REPEAT TO DIARRHEA OUTBREAK

December 21, 2024 Metro BLISTT

The city government heightened water and food safety measures to avoid a repeat of the diarrhea or acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreak caused by contaminated drinking water that affected more than 2,000 people at the close of 2023 until the early part of this year. The Baguio City Health Services Office through the Environmental and Sanitation Division have been conducting close monitoring of the drinking water being served in food establishments including their water sources to ensure safe water and food handling.

The inspections being conducted with the Permits and Licensing Division and the Public Order and Safety
Division of the City Mayor’s Office, and the Baguio City Police Office cover safe and proper food handling,
preparation and service; compliance with sanitary and business permits, health certificates, working permits of food handlers, and Presidential Decree 856 or the Sanitation Code of the Philippines, among others.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the city had to double its disease prevention efforts especially as tourism activities peak for the Christmas and New Year celebration. “With the influx of people, the demand for food and water increases and as companies scramble to meet the demand, they tend to set aside caution and safety practices. So we better be on guard to make sure that they keep to their safety obligations to their customers lest we face another upsurge in diarrhea cases,” the mayor said. The previous diarrhea health crisis started with a surge in cases from Dec. 26, 2023 and peaked on Jan. 1-7, 2024 prompting the mayor to declare an outbreak on Jan. 10, 2024. It lasted until Jan. 18, 2024 with the cause traced to contaminated water from private deep wells and bulk water delivery companies.

Aileen P. Refuerzo.Baguio-PIO