Typhoid fever cases in CAR decrease by 48% in January

The Department of Health-Cordillera reported that typhoid fever cases in the region dropped by 48 percent.
The DOH recorded 152 cases during the first four weeks of the year compared with the 294 cases that were reported during the same period last year.
Based on the data from the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, there were no typhoid fever-related deaths during the surveillance period.
The cases were from Benguet, which recorded 65 cases that represented a 17 percent decrease; Kalinga, 37 or five percent decrease; Apayao, 33 or 200 percent increase; Baguio City, five or 69 percent decrease; Abra, three or 63 percent decrease; Ifugao, two or 91 percent decrease; Mountain Province, one or 91 percent decrease; and non-Cordillera provinces, six cases.
Eight males were reported to have contracted the illness, which represents 71 percent of the affected individuals.
According to the RESU report, the age range of the affected individuals is from one month to 83 years old. The DOH recorded clustering of cases in Apayao, Benguet, and Kalinga.
Typhoid fever is a systematic bacterial disease characterized by a sustained fever, severe headache, malaise, anorexia, splenomegaly, non-productive cough in the early stage of the illness, and constipation more often than diarrhea in adults.
The infection is transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated feces, food, and water.
To avoid contacting the disease, the DOH advised the public to wash their hands before food preparation and before eating; wash hands after using the toilet; maintain a high standard personal hygiene; maintain rigorous standards of cleanliness in food preparation, handling, and storage, especially salads and other cold-served foods; and report diarrheal cases with increasing trend or clustering to health offices. – PIO release