Indeed, the microorganisms that were probably the cause of the outbreak proved to be so virulent that in less than two weeks, a total of 600 cases were registered that resulted in several purported deaths. The Department of Health noted that there were two waves of outbreaks, the first one being from Oct. 23 to 26; and the second from Oct. 30 to early November (2003).

Surprisingly no single cause was pinpointed by the authorities--although public opinion was quick to blame contaminated water supplies as the main cause of epidemic. To be specified, fecal contamination, caused by illegal water tapping was blamed. In fact, independent water analysis spearheaded by some sectors resulted, or so they say, in findings that show 14 times fecal contamination that the national average of 2.2 per 100 ml. Of water.

At present, the gastroenteritis outbreak seems to have waned due in part to public awareness of the severity of the problem of water contamination.

Tips for Safe Drinking Water:

• If you're not sure that drinking water is safe, don't drink it. Better yet, boil it first before even trying.
• Smell your water. Contaminated water usually has an accompanying foul smell caused by microorganisms. Discard or use for non-drinking related use.
• Invest in water purifiers in the market today that are easy on one's pockets. As such, there's no excuse not to have one. Otherwise, go to the nearest drug store and inquire about water purifying tablets.