The Department of Health (DOH) is closely monitoring cholera cases in the country following reports of an increase in the number of cases of such illness globally.

In a statement, the DOH reported a total of 5,860 cholera cases in the country from Jan. 1 to Nov. 26, which were 282 percent higher compared to the reported cases during the same period in 2021 at 1,534.

Most of these cholera cases were reported from Eastern Visayas with 3,620, Davao Region with 810, and Central Luzon with 336. Nationally, there were 67 deaths reported, the DOH said.

At present, “no local governments have declared an outbreak as cases remained manageable,” the DOH said.

“We have many teams on-ground addressing our current cholera cases, while we further strengthen our surveillance and response systems nationwide,” said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that there is an increase in the number of cholera cases globally.

"Since 2021, there has been an increase in cholera cases and their geographical distribution globally. In 2021, 23 countries reported cholera outbreaks, mainly in the WHO Regions of Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean,” the WHO said last Dec. 16.

“This trend has continued into 2022 with over 29 countries reporting cholera cases or outbreaks. As of 30 November 2022, 16 of these have been reporting protracted outbreaks. Many of those countries reported higher case numbers and case fatality ratio (CFR) than in previous years,” it added.

The WHO said that cholera is “an acute diarrheal infection characterized, in its severe form, by extreme watery diarrhea and potentially fatal dehydration.”

“It is caused by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae,” it added.

The DOH said it is “continuously improving its strategies in implementing existing programs and activities on water and sanitation in addressing Food and Water Borne Diseases in the Philippines by coordinating and allocating the resources of all IACEH member agencies in improving their water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in accordance with their mandates and continuous promotion of the health of individuals in all settings (including communities, schools and workplaces), to reduce their risk behaviors leading to diarrheal diseases,”

The DOH said it is coordinating with local government units (LGUs) in “implementing drinking water quality surveillance programs to ensure drinking water safety from all the way from water source and catchment up to the consumer.”

“In addition to these are sanitation programs to ensure that open defecation practices are eliminated and to ensure proper disposal of feces and sewage waste,” it added.

Meanwhile, the DOH reminded the public to always ensure proper food handling to “prevent pathogens from reproducing.”

“We must frequently wash our hands and disinfect surfaces. Atin ding siguruhing ang tubig na iinumin ay malinis, filtered, at disinfected (Let's also make sure our drinking water is clean, filtered, and disinfected),” said Vergeire.

“Gayunding masigurong ang mga pagkain ay (Ensure also that the food is) properly cooked at hindi hilaw o na (and not raw or) cross-contaminate. Lastly, food items should be stored in cool and dry containers upang maiwasang mapanis ito (to prevent them from spoiling),” she added.