MALASIQUI, Pangasinan - The Provincial Health Office (PHO) has recorded 3,461 acute gastroenteritis cases in the province of Pangasinan from January 1 to July 18 this year, 107 percent higher than the 1,674 cases in the same period last year. In an interview on Tuesday, PHO chief Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa de Guzman said most of the patients are children aged one to four years old. De Guzman attributed this to the hygiene, food preparation, and unclean source of drinking water. "Since they are children, their hygiene, especially their hands, might have been unclean. It might also be due to unclean feeding bottles or food preparation. It could also be that their source of water might be contaminated," she said. The mortality or death due to acute gastroenteritis also rose to 19 cases this year from 10 during the same period last year. "There might be a delay in bringing the patients to the hospitals that eventually led to their death. Parents should monitor their children for de