Manggarai Barat Health Agency Reports 493 Diarrhoea Cases

Labuan Bajo — Manggarai Barat’s health authority has recorded 493 diarrhoea cases across health facilities in the West Flores regency, with the highest number reported by Wae Nakeng Community Health Centre in Lembor District, according to a statement issued on Thursday, 3 September 2026.

Health Agency head Theresia P. Asmon, known locally as Ney, said the cases affected both children and adults and had already been increasing before the recent Flores earthquake, then rose sharply during the emergency-response period that began in mid-August.

The figure of 493 cases is an accumulation of reports from community health centres in Manggarai Barat. The agency did not publicly release a breakdown by facility, age group or severity, but highlighted Wae Nakeng, Batu Cermin and Labuan Bajo as priority areas for follow-up.

Water testing in Wae Nakeng

Health teams carried out water testing in the Wae Nakeng service area because it had the highest recorded case count.

According to the Health Agency, chemical analysis of water samples from Wae Nakeng found no chemical contamination.

However, laboratory testing detected Escherichia coli (E. coli) in water-storage samples. Out of 16 samples examined, two tested positive for E. coli, which officials attributed to sanitation problems in the way water was stored rather than to contaminants in the source water itself.

Officials also took samples from refill-water depots in several parts of the regency. The samples that had been examined were reported as negative for bacterial contamination, while some results were still pending on 3 September.

In parallel, a more targeted investigation was launched in the service areas of Batu Cermin Community Health Centre and Labuan Bajo to look for risk factors and possible links between facilities, communities and water supplies.

Symptoms and community impact

Among children, reported symptoms included abdominal pain, vomiting, fever and weakness.

A local resident, identified as Ririn, told reporters that her child had suffered diarrhoea for four days and that several other children in the neighbourhood had been ill for almost two weeks, suggesting that the problem had been ongoing before the latest test results were issued.

The Health Agency’s case count is based on patients who presented at health facilities, so it may not capture all people with diarrhoea who did not seek treatment.

As of 3 September, officials had not announced any fatality figure, hospitalisation total or formal classification of the situation as an outbreak.

Context: post-earthquake conditions

The diarrhoea increase has come in the aftermath of the August 2026 Flores earthquake sequence, which struck islands in East Nusa Tenggara including Flores and caused extensive damage in Manggarai and Manggarai Barat.

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported a mainshock of around magnitude 7.7–7.8 in mid-August off northern Flores, followed by thousands of aftershocks and further moderate quakes felt in Manggarai and Manggarai Barat.

National and international reporting on the disaster described dozens of deaths, hundreds of injuries and thousands of homes damaged across regencies including Manggarai, Manggarai Barat, East Manggarai, Nagekeo and Sikka.

With housing, water infrastructure and sanitation systems under pressure after the earthquake and ongoing aftershocks, local health officials have warned that water safety and hygiene are critical to preventing further gastrointestinal illness.

Public health messaging

Health officials have urged residents to pay close attention to water handling and hygiene practices.

Standard public health guidance in such situations includes boiling drinking water, washing hands with soap, careful food preparation and seeking medical care for persistent diarrhoea, blood in stools, high fever or signs of dehydration.

Residents, businesses and visitors are advised to follow any instructions issued by local health authorities and to treat refill water and stored water cautiously, particularly in areas where laboratory testing is still under way or where E. coli contamination has been identified.

Sources

• Detik Bali/Nusra
• BMKG earthquake information (Flores sequence)
• ACT Alliance Alert Note – Indonesia Earthquake August 2026