A group of epidemiologists will be sent to the San Carlos City in Negros Occidental to verify reports of amoebiasis cases, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
DOH Undersecretary and Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire made the statement after it was reported that the local government has declared a state of health emergency.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Feb. 28, Vergeire said that 189 cases of amoebiasis were reported in the city.
"We are now sending our team here from the Epidemiology Bureau to go to our Region 6 para matulungan ang aming (to help our) Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit,” she said.
“They will go to San Carlos City tomorrow to verify this event,” she added.
Contaminated waters could have been the cause of infections, said Vergeire.
Vergeire said they will also coordinate with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other concerned agencies to address “issues in terms of water source” in the area.
Amoebiasis is a disease caused by a parasite called Entamoeba histolytica, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated in its website.
"It occurs when a person: puts anything into their mouth that has touched the feces (poop) of a person who is infected with E. histolytica. Swallows something, such as water or food, that is contaminated with E. histolytica," it said.
“The symptoms are often quite mild and can include loose feces (poop), stomach pain, and stomach cramping,” it added.