MANILA: The death toll from a powerful typhoon that struck the Philippines earlier this month has risen to 389, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Monday, as the Southeast Asian country scrambles to address the threat of disease outbreaks in affected areas.
Super Typhoon Rai, the strongest storm to hit the Philippines this year, first made landfall on Dec. 16, bringing torrential rains, violent winds, floods and storm surges to the Visayas and Mindanao islands. By the time it exited the archipelago two days later, more than 506,000 houses were damaged or destroyed, according to latest data from the NDRRMC.
“To date, there are 314,676 individuals being aided in 1,179 evacuation centers,” Mark Timbal, NDRRMC spokesperson, told reporters, adding that about 256,000 other people are sheltering with relatives.
More than 1,100 people were injured during the storm, while 64 others are still missing as officials put the number of affected people at more than 4 million.
The NDRRMC said that most of the victims are located in central and southern Philippines, particularly in the provinces of Cebu, Bohol and Dinagat Islands, as well as Siargao island.
Though power has been restored in 154 affected towns and cities, some areas remain without water supplies, and communication lines are yet to be fully restored, officials said.
As the government rushes to deliver aid, the threat of disease outbreak now looms after more than 100 cases of acute gastroenteritis and diarrhea were reported in recent days.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that 80 people are being treated for acute gastroenteritis in the Dinagat Islands, while 54 cases of diarrhea were recorded at a hospital on the neighboring tourist island of Siargao, with 16 more reported in Cebu.
HIGHLIGHT
Most storm victims located in central, southern areas of country.
“Cases in Caraga were admitted to hospitals while the report from Cebu is currently being validated by our regional epidemiology and surveillance units,” Vergeire said. She added that the Philippines Department of Health is still investigating the cause of the outbreak, which is suspected to be contaminated water.
“There is a possibility of contamination because of damaged underground pipes. That’s what we are looking at. We have already deployed epidemiology teams to those areas to determine the source or cause of the gastroenteritis,” said Vergeire.
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte previously instructed all concerned agencies and local officials to attend to the medical needs of the typhoon victims, especially those who remain in evacuation centers.
“Evacuation centers are risky because people there can contaminate each other. You only need one cough and it will spread,” Duterte said in a meeting with local and military officials over the weekend.
