DOH assures ailments among Kanlaon evacuees ‘under control’
BACOLOD CITY—Health officials on Negros Island have contained a possible outbreak of illnesses in evacuation centers that housed nearly 10,000 residents displaced by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on Dec. 9 last year.
Dr. Razel Nikka Hao, regional director of the Department of Health-Negros Island Region (DOH-NIR), said medical personnel had been working double time to address the health concerns of evacuees.
So far, she said the highest consultations at the evacuation centers in Negros Occidental and Oriental were for cough, colds, and fever, which were readily attended to.
Thirty-six evacuees had fever while 16 were suffering from acute respiratory infection as of Jan. 16, the DOH-NIR reported.
No serious ailments
As of Saturday, at least 9,732 residents were staying in 22 evacuation centers in La Castellana town, Bago City and La Carlota City in Negros Occidental; and in Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.
The number was down from the 14,000 evacuated following the eruption as it included some 4,000 from outside the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone who have been allowed to go home last week.
Those who remained in evacuation centers have not faced any water- or hygiene-related diseases, Hao assured.
Routine services were being provided at the evacuation centers, such as immunization as well as nutrition and vitamin supplementation for children, she dded.
Hao said the DOH also gave out medicines for adults suffering from hypertension and diabetes.
The DOH had doctors, nurses and other medical staff that make the rounds at the evacuation centers for consultations and treatment.
Most of the evacuated were required. to remain in shelters as Mt. Kanlaon continued to display intensified magmatic unrest based on latest bulletins from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
According to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), “the ongoing activity at Mt. Kanlaon underscores the importance of community preparedness and vigilance.”
“Local authorities and emergency services are on high alert, ensuring resources are available to support the affected residents,” it added.
Contingency plans
The Phivolcs said communities within the six-km radius of the summit crater must remain evacuated due to the danger of pyroclastic density currents, ballistic projectiles and ashfall, lava flows, rockfalls and other related hazards.
Local governments and disaster risk reduction councils, it said, must also monitor weather conditions in case heavy rainfall occurs and generates lahars and sediment-laden streamflows in channels draining the southern flanks of the volcano.
The OCD has ensured it has put in place the needed measures to carryout the swift evacuation of 110,000 residents within the 10 kilometer radius of Kanlaon Volcano if Alert Level 4 is raised, OCD Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said on Wednesday.
Nepomuceno and other OCD officials met with Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan at the Governor’s Office at the Capitol in Bacolod City on Wednesday to discuss contingency plans.
Raul Fernandez, OCD 6 regional director and Task Force Kanlaon chairman, said 1,350 tents have also arrived in Negros.
So far, 395 tents have been delivered to Himamaylan City, he said, adding that the they aim to bring the number up to 500.
They were also looking at setting up tent cities in Talisay, Silay and Kabankalan cities, and the Panaad Sports Complex in Bacolod City in Negros Occidental, he added.
In Negros Oriental, the tent cities for the Canlaon City evacuees will be set up in Vallermoso town and Guihulngan City, he added.
