• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Acute respiratory infections and other illnesses have affected evacuees from the Kanlaon volcano eruption, according to reports of the Department of Health – Negros Island Region.
In a report, DOH-NIR Center for Health Development said it recorded 74 acute respiratory infection cases, topping the list of leading causes of consultations, as of January 5.
A total of 71 other illnesses were also reported, but the details were not specified in the DOH-NIR-CHD report.
The DOH deployed six doctors, 43 nurses, 14 technical staff, and 77 medical personnel to attend to the health issues of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 32 evacuation centers at La Castellana, cities of Bago, La Carlota and San Carlos in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.
A total of 4,360 families, composed of 14,235 individuals, are presently occupying various evacuation centers. A total of 4,113 IDPs have availed of medical consultations.
DOH also reported that it distributed 135,329 assorted medicines; 87,200 N95 masks; 48,500 face masks; 17,000 aquatabs; 1,910 surgical gloves; 1,850 goggles; and 349 nebulizer kits to the IDPs.
Commodities distribution will continue to increase, following the arrival of augmented aid from other regions, it added.
Teresito Bacolcol, PHIVOLCS director, in an interview with government station PTV on Saturday, disclosed that the fluctuating sulfur dioxide emissions at Kanlaon volcano in Negros island is a sign that it may be gearing up for a bigger and maybe a deadly eruption.
In a report on Jan. 5 PHIVOLCS said it logged an ash emission which lasted 111 minutes, and 23 volcanic quakes, including three volcanic tremors, as well as the emission of 3,469 tons of sulfur dioxide.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson reiterated his call on Sunday for Negrenses to pray, “not knowing when it will happen and will it be the last eruption? I continue to ask everyone to pray for divine intervention,” he said.
Earlier, PHIVOLCS asked local government units that would be affected by a Kanlaon Volcano eruption to prepare for the worst-case scenario.*
