The Ministry of Health has officially confirmed a diarrheal outbreak in the Nacaci Settlement of Balevuto, Ba, after a comprehensive analysis of current data.

Health Minister Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu reveals that over the past four weeks, the Balevuto Health Centre has consistently reported cases of diarrhea, averaging between six to eight cases per week.

However, the situation escalated significantly in the last two weeks, starting from August 28th, when a higher number of cases were recorded.

Dr. Lalabalavu notes that some of these cases required referrals to Aspen Hospital, prompting swift action from the relevant authorities following established protocols.

The Minister emphasizes that subsequent investigations and available data do not support the claim that the Balevuto water supply scheme is the source of the outbreak.

Health Minister Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu.

He clarifies that the scheme, serving over 6,000 residents, showed no signs of deceased animals in its catchment area, as reported by certain media outlets.

To address the situation, the WAF conducted extensive flushing of its water distribution system and cleaned the reservoir that serves the Balevuto scheme.

Dr. Lalabalavu highlights that, out of the 60 patients showing diarrhea symptoms, only 12 required hospitalization.

Investigations have also revealed that the unfortunate deaths of four individuals during the outbreak were attributed to other underlying medical conditions.

The Minister is urging the public to respect the privacy of these affected families and refrain from spreading misinformation.

He expresses concern that misinformation had spread widely in both traditional and social media, causing unnecessary panic among Balevuto residents.

In response to the outbreak, many residents have shifted to using personal water tanks.

Inspections of these tanks reveals poor maintenance and the presence of worm-like organisms, likely mosquito larvae.

Users of these tanks are strongly advised to clean and flush them immediately.

Dr. Lalabalavu assures that monitoring teams are actively assessing the situation, with contingency plans in place for an expedited response if necessary.

Four teams are on the ground distributing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) kits, purification tablets, and conducting public health awareness campaigns.

The Commissioner Western’s Office is collaborating with WAF in the flushing and refilling of water tanks.