The Tanay, Rizal municipal government reported an increase in the number of diarrhea-hit Dumagats residing in the town of Sitio Nayon, Barangay Sta. Ines on Tuesday, Oct. 4, following the onslaught of typhoon "Karding" on Sept. 25.
Tanay Municipal Health Officer Dr. Amor Dulce Rivera said the number of Dumagats sick with diarrhea has risen to 70 after reporting 30 new cases in just two days.
She added there are two Dumagats who have died of the sickness. One is a 50 year-old male and the other is a 22 year-old female.
The doctor said that the city government had already set up a hydration clinic for the Dumagats.
According to the local government, contaminated water coming from the spring around the area may have been the cause of the outbreak of diarrhea.
On Oct. 1, the Tanay municipal government medical team went to the area and distributed medicines, oral rehydration solutions, mineral water, and some goods to the community.
Members of the medical team will be staying in the community alternately for one week while the home treatment of the sick natives is ongoing.
Rivera said the team who first visited the community on Sept. 29 to attend to the medical emergency of the Dumagats conducted an information drive in the diarrhea-affected areas.
They taught the natives proper hygiene including the importance of boiling their drinking water.