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Wednesday, September 1, 2010

India : Cholera spreading in North Chennai

An article from Express Buzz :

" CHENNAI: Cholera cases have been increasingly reported in the city for the past three weeks, especially among the residents of North Chennai, with many patients being treated in hospitals for the intestines-affecting bacterial disease. Doctors attribute the trigger to consumption of contaminated water amid rains and water-logging.

Dr Mohana Kumar of Ezhil hospital in Tondiarpet confirmed on Tuesday a spurt in cholera patients, adding that some of the cases had been severe owing to a mix-up of drinking water and sewage water. “Of the many diarrhoeal cases, there are at least three confirmed cases of cholera every week. The affected age group ranges from from 5 to 55 years,” he pointed out.

Most of the cases are from Vysarpadi, Tiruvotriyur, Tondiarpet and other areas in North Chennai. A hospital authority at the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondiarpet informed that the last one week saw more than 20 persons getting admitted with serious diarrhoeal disorder, and that a few of them did test positive for cholera.

Children have to be on the watch-out too, says Dr P Rama­chandran, Director of the Institute of Child Health. In the last one week, three children confir­med having cholera, he added.

A senior official at the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said this year has so far reported 707 cases of cholera and one death till August. This month alone has reported 166 cases of cholera. The main reason is unhygienic water supply system, he said, asking for a better water supply system."

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