CEBU: The Department of Health (DOH) Region 7 recorded over 6,000 El Niño-related incidents in Central Visayas as more people began to feel the impact of the dry season. Dr. Shelbay Blanco, head of the Regional Health Emergency Management Services (RHEMS) of DOH-7, said the agency monitored 6,011 diseases in February that are traceable to the dry spell, urging preparedness to cushion the effect on public health, hygiene and sanitation. 'These include food and water-borne diseases,' he said in a forum here, identifying animal bites, chicken pox, cholera, dehydration, measles and typhoid fever as among the incidents recorded by the regional health office. Blanco, however, clarified health facilities in the region recorded zero incidents of heat stroke or severe exhaustion because of the El Niño. He assured the public that DOH-7 put in place massive information dissemination to educate the public on different levels of heat indexes and their corresponding effect in case of prolonged exposure to heat. 'We ha ve coordinated with the rest of the government agencies through the Regional Task Office El Niño. We are attending regular meetings to lay down strategies along with other agencies through the whole-(of)-government approach in lessening the impact of El Niño,' Blanco said in a mix of Cebuano and English. He said the environmental section of the task force is currently monitoring the water supply condition in Cebu and the rest of the region through the rural health units and sanitary inspectors, stressing the need for unhindered water supply to ensure people's hygiene and sanitation. Meanwhile, Mactan Cebu Water District production department manager, Tommy Gonzalez, said stable water supply has become a challenge since the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced last year the start of the El Niño phenomenon. Gonzales assured the Cebuanos measures are in place to boost Metro Cebu water supply originating from the sea, surface and groundwater. Source: Philippines News Agency
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