CEBU CITY – Respiratory illness has started to spread in tents where victims of the magnitude-6.9 earthquake that struck northern Cebu province on Sept. 30 are staying.

The Provincial Health Office (PHO) said cases of acute respiratory infections have been recorded in evacuation centers in Borbon and Sogod while evacuees in Daanbantayan and Tabuelan are experiencing fever.

Displaced families crowding evacuation centers and unstable weather are contributing to the growing health challenges, the PHO said.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Mary Ann Josephine Arsenal said three waves of vitamins and medicines have been sent to Bogo City, San Remigio, Medellin, Borbon, Sogod, Tabuelan, and Tabogon.

In Bogo alone, more than 34,000 families were displaced. The city was the epicenter of the tremor that claimed at least 70 lives.

Assistant City Health Officer Dr. Shiela Faciol said barangay visits are being conducted daily with medical teams attending to 80 to 100 patients.

Many families are still staying in makeshift shelters.

Children and elderly evacuees are complaining of coughs, colds, and fevers, Faciol said.

No cases of diarrhea or food poisoning have been recorded so far but patients were advised to avoid roaming around to prevent the infection from spreading, Faciol said.

Aside from illnesses, some evacuees are also dealing with psychological trauma.

Arsenal urged the public to be more compassionate and patient towards quake survivors.

“Let’s avoid adding more stress to their situation because even the negative comments that they hear, it’s additional stress for them,” Arsenal said.