Inquirer·Philippines·

Valencia City seeks confirmatory tests for 73 suspected Hepatitis A cases

Translate

Mel N. Velez

Local officials and health personnel gather during the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council meeting on the rising Hepatitis A cases in Valencia City, Bukidnon. (Photo from Valencia City Public Information and Assistance Division)

VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — City health officials here are rushing to secure confirmatory testing for 73 suspected Hepatitis A cases.

The move comes following a sharp rise in infections in Barangay Lurugan, a heavily urbanized village surrounded by vast pineapple plantations.

Most of those affected are students aged 10 to 19.

Article continues after this advertisement

Aron Apostol Rempohito, chief of the Valencia City Public Information and Assistance Division (PIAD), told the Inquirer on Friday, October 9, that the local government is communicating with hospital officials.

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

This is to finalize a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for diagnostic confirmatory testing.

The agreement follows an emergency crisis meeting of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) on Wednesday, October 8.

During the meeting, City Health Officer Michael Escalante reported that confirmed infections in Barangay Lurugan increased from six to 14, with two cases recorded in neighboring Barangay San Carlos.

Rempohito noted that patients previously admitted to hospitals have since been discharged and are recovering at home.

Article continues after this advertisement

The remaining suspected cases are closely monitored in their residences by city health personnel.

Hepatitis A is typically transmitted through food or water contaminated by the virus, particularly in areas with poor sanitation and environmental hygiene.

Article continues after this advertisement

While the exact source of the infections remains under investigation, the City Health Office (CHO) is maintaining active surveillance and case tracking.

As a strict precautionary measure, the Barangay Government Unit of Lurugan has ordered a temporary ban on the sale of cooked, prepared and ready-to-eat food and beverages by ambulant vendors within the village.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

This is meant to safeguard the health of the community while the probe continues. /apl

View the original on Inquirer →

KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.