DUMAGUETE CITY — The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) in Negros Oriental has assured it is taking the necessary measures to control and contain the contamination of water sources in Sta. Catalina town that tested positive of e-coli and coliform bacteria.
IPHO chief Dr. Liland Estacion on Monday said they will distribute jerry cans and hydrating salts from the Department of Health (DOH) to residents in Sitio Tingkolong, Barangay Obat of said municipality, who recently manifested food poisoning symptoms.
Initial tests conducted showed that springs in the area were found to have e-coli bacteria and contaminated with human feces that resulted in the presence of coliform.
Earlier this month, a three-year-old girl died while 32 other villagers experienced symptoms of food poisoning and were taken to a hospital after attending a party in that sub-village of Tingkolong.
Estacion appealed to the public to avoid open defecation because it causes contamination of water sources. (Mary Judaline Partlow/PNA)
