Seven-month-old girl tests positive for cholera

Our Correspondent
Zirakpur, July 22

Potable water samples collected by the Health Department from various localities in Zirakpur recently have put city residents in a quandary.

A health team collected fresh drinking water samples at random from different parts in the city today. These samples would be sent to for a comprehensive bacteriological analysis to a government approved laboratory.

The samples were collected from the area after seven-month-old girl, Prabhgun, a resident of AKS Colony, tested positive for Cholera. “Presently, she is undergoing treatment at the GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh,” said sources.

Irregular, low pressure and unclean water supply has aggravated residents’ problems as the threat of diarrhoea, cholera and other water-borne diseases looms large over city.

Meanwhile, a team of doctors did not find any case of suspected cholera during a survey in the city.

The sources said samples were collected to check the quantity of chlorine in water for prevention of diseases during the monsoon season.

Health officials said teams conducted door-to-door survey of houses to chlorinate and spread of awareness on water-borne diseases.

Chlorine tablets and ORS packets were distributed by the Health Department in vulnerable areas of the city, they added.

Health advisory

• Drink preferably boiled water. 
• Put chlorine tablet in 20-litre water and consume it after half-an-hour. 
• Eatables should be always kept covered. 
• Eat after washing hands. 
• Food should be consumed hot and fresh. 
• Overripe fruits and vegetables should not be consumed at all. 
• Hands should be washed before consuming anything and after using toilet.

What you should know 

• Give ORS and extra fluids to child at the onset of diarrhoea and continue till it stops.
• Give zinc for 14 days to children suffering from diarrhoea even if it is cured.
• Ensure safe and quick disposal of child’s faeces.
• Continue feeding, including breastfeeding of newborns. 
• Give them extra feed during and after illness.
• Use clean drinking water after safe handling.
• Mothers should wash hands with soap before preparing food, feeding child and after cleaning stool.

Symptoms in kids

• Child becomes sick
• Child not able to drink or take breastfeed
• Blood in stool, fever.