GMA News Online
Nearly 10 months after the failed siege on Zamboanga City, the death toll among residents forced to flee their homes and stay in evacuation centers continues to rise - reaching 143 this month, a Mindanao news site reported Saturday.
City Health Officer Dr. Rodelin Agbulos said this is the number of evacuees who died as of July 6, with pneumonia as the leading cause, MindaNews reported.
Agbulos said they are intensifying health services in response to this.
The report quoted Agbulos as saying 28 died from pneumonia while 23 died from acute gastroenteritis. Others died from asthma, measles, dengue and severe malnutrition.
He attributed the other deaths to at least 15 causes including asthma, measles, dengue and severe acute malnutrition.
But Agbulos said they are still determining the cause of 20 deaths, since “it was difficult for us to trace including the medical history since they were buried immediately.”
The report cited figures from the city government showing there are some 3,196 families or 17,009 people staying in five evacuation centers.
Some 1,579 families or 8,541 individuals are staying in six transitory sites.
In September 2013, followers of Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari tried to occupy parts of the city, which government forces took back within the month.
Agbulos said the fatalities were staying at the transitory site in Sitio Masepla, Barangay Mampang, and at the evacuation centers in Talon-Talon Elementary School, Mayor Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex and along the Cawa-Cawa shoreline.
Most of the mortalities were children aged below five, including 37 males and 35 females; followed by people above 60 including 16 males and 14 females. — Joel Locsin/JDS, GMA News
Nearly 10 months after the failed siege on Zamboanga City, the death toll among residents forced to flee their homes and stay in evacuation centers continues to rise - reaching 143 this month, a Mindanao news site reported Saturday.
City Health Officer Dr. Rodelin Agbulos said this is the number of evacuees who died as of July 6, with pneumonia as the leading cause, MindaNews reported.
Agbulos said they are intensifying health services in response to this.
The report quoted Agbulos as saying 28 died from pneumonia while 23 died from acute gastroenteritis. Others died from asthma, measles, dengue and severe malnutrition.
He attributed the other deaths to at least 15 causes including asthma, measles, dengue and severe acute malnutrition.
But Agbulos said they are still determining the cause of 20 deaths, since “it was difficult for us to trace including the medical history since they were buried immediately.”
The report cited figures from the city government showing there are some 3,196 families or 17,009 people staying in five evacuation centers.
Some 1,579 families or 8,541 individuals are staying in six transitory sites.
In September 2013, followers of Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari tried to occupy parts of the city, which government forces took back within the month.
Agbulos said the fatalities were staying at the transitory site in Sitio Masepla, Barangay Mampang, and at the evacuation centers in Talon-Talon Elementary School, Mayor Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex and along the Cawa-Cawa shoreline.
Most of the mortalities were children aged below five, including 37 males and 35 females; followed by people above 60 including 16 males and 14 females. — Joel Locsin/JDS, GMA News
