CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines – Health officials in the region are noting an increase of tuberculosis and typhoid cases in Central Visayas but stressed that such cases are not alarming.

Jocelyn Tabo-tabo, DoH-7 nurse coordinator of the National TB Program said the increase of the reported cases may be attributed to awareness of the public that the disease can be treated.

“Our consistent education campaign for the public to seek early medical consultation for chronic cough together with our partnership with private hospitals and physicians has encouraged the public to avail of our free services, which is being reflected in our data reports,” she said.

Tabo-tabo disclosed that the government offers free medication to TB patients even those having the severe ones or those who are suffering from drug-resistant.

She added that based on their monitoring there is a five percent increase per quarter on TB cases in the region that totaled to 12,032 as of last year.

Of the total cases, Cebu Province recorded 3,897 followed by Bohol with 2,157 cases. Negros Oriental with 1,954 and Siquijor with 175 reported cases while other cases are gathered from the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.