EDCD reports 41 confirmed cases, blames contaminated drinking water
KATHMANDU, Aug 8: Despite several attempts by the health authorities to prevent cholera outbreak from getting worse, the deadly disease has been spreading unabated in Lalitpur district.
Epidemiology and disease Control Division (EDCD) under the department of Health Services (DoHS) said that, in the last one month, the disease has been confirmed in 41 diarrheal patients admitted at various hospitals.
Over 1,500 diarrheal patients from the district have received treatment at various hospitals in the capital, officials at the EDCD informed.
“We are trying our best to control the epidemic,” Dr Gunanidhi Sharma, chief of the epidemiology section at the EDCD, said, adding that despite their serious efforts, the disease has remained out of control.
He informed that the 01 Ogawa stereotype of cholera have been detected in patients.The EDCD has been making people aware about the disease and precautionary measures through door-to-door campaigns and mass media like local radio and television.
“We have been sending experts to collect drinking water samples from areas where diarrheal outbreaks have been reported,” informed Dr Sharma.
According to Sharma, out of 96 water samples collected from the areas like Balkumari, Jawalakhel, Dhapakhel, Thaiba, Harisiddhi, Godawori, 46 samples were found contaminated with hazardous bacteria. He informed that E.coli and coliform bacteria have been detected in some samples.
Meanwhile, the EDCD said that six new diarrheal patients admitted at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital have also tested positive for cholera.
The hospital administration informed that over two dozen diarrheal patients have been visiting the hospital every day.
Patan Hospital said that over a dozen diarrheal patients seek treatment at the hospital every day.
Doctors say that people in the Kathmandu Valley are highly vulnerable to the infection as cholera is a waterborne disease and people in the valley are compelled to drink polluted water.
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