STO. TOMAS, Batangas – Two more evacuees – a man and a woman – who were staying at evacuation centers in Batangas Province allegedly died on health problems last Wednesday, 22 January 2020.

The woman, a certain Vivencia Dalisay was taken to a medical center in Batangas City on January 19 as she was complaining about persistent stomach pains.

Three days later the woman died while being treated for anemia, secondary to upper gastro-intestinal bleeding her attending physician Dr. Andrew Gonzales said.

Meanwhile, camp managers at the San Roque evacuation center reported that another evacuee in Elmer Salvia also died suffered a stroke and was brought to the emergency room St. Frances Cabrini Medical Center here in Sto. Tomas City by medics.

From the St. Frances Cabrini Medical Center the victim-evacuee was later transferred to St. Camillus Hospital but he eventually died.

The deaths of Dalisay and Salvia raised to four (4) the number of fatalities among residents evacuated from the 14-km danger zone since Taal Volcano erupted last Sunday, 12 January 2020.

The first two who died among Taal eruption evacuees were Felina de Roxas, 57, of Barangay Bangin in San Nicolas, and Violeta Reyes, 84, of Barangay Sambat in San Pascual, both in Batangas province.

Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office officer Rowena Dalangin said De Roxas died at the Saint Pascal de Baylon Hospital due to sudden cardiac arrest with acute myocardial and uncontrolled hypertension.

A bedridden patient, Reyes died of tuberculosis in the house of one Ma. Concepcion Macatangay in Barangay Sambat (Tanauan) on Monday afternoon.

Ten municipalities close to the volcano and lake namely: (1) Talisay, (2) Laurel, (3) Agoncillo, (4) San Nicolas, (5) Taal, (6) Lemery, (7) Santa Teresita, (8) Cuenca, (9) Balete and (10) Mataasnakahoy, are under total lockdown, being manned by members of the armed forces.

Some parts of Lipa and Tanauan cities are under partial lockdown. (ISMAEL AMIGO)