POLANGUI, Albay—Hepatitis A cases have escalated in the 16 villages of this town which reached 92 cases as of latest count with 29 new cases added to the suspected 63 cases reported last week, according to a local health official in the province.

        Dr. Luis Domingo B. Mendoza, Albay provincial health officer, said the new cases were reported despite continuing efforts by the provincial health office to prevent the outbreak.

        A report submitted to Albay Governor Fernando V. Gonzalez, identified one village, the Centro Ilaod, to be the heavily affected by the spread of the liver disease among the 16 villages with Hepatitis A outbreak.

        But the doctor also said that no fatality was reported even as he has not assured that the spread of the Hepatitis A infection is already checked.

        He said that 53 of the 92 cases documented were found in Purok Uranos at the town centre which comprised 58 percent of all the Hepatitis A patients, so far.

        Mendoza identified Purok Mercury with 14 cases or (15%); 10 cases or (11%) from Purok Jupiter; and the rest of the incidence, varying from 1 to 6 cases, were from the remaining 13 villages affected.

        The provincial health office has also noted that those suspected infected with Hepatitis A virus have age range from two to 53 years old, citing that majority of the patients were male.

        Mendoza said the provincial health office has investigated the Hepatitis A outbreak and initially found that the cause of the spread of infection may be traced to the water source of the villages which he said is connected to a water district pipeline.

        But he added that the residents also practiced good hand washing habits using soap although some of them use their bare hands in eating.

        “Many of them have water sealed toilet facilities and mostly bought food items such as juice, palamig and ice candy from vendors outside the community school,” Mendoza said.

        He said the health office, together with the rural health units (RHU) in Polangui, continuously assess through epidemiological investigation in the barangay and conduct health education on food preparation and proper food handling, use of safe water for drinking, prompt treatment and immediate referral and reporting of cases.

        “We have already coordinated with the municipal engineering office to repair the water service pipelines in the barangay,” the doctor said. Jose M. Briones