Diarrhoea, cholera outbreak spreads; 12-year-old loses life

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, July 25

The number of people suffering from cholera and diarrhoea crossed the 600-mark in the district. At least 620 patients were reported till Wednesday evening.

Of them, 327 were admitted to the local civil hospital. While many of them were discharged, 89 were still under treatment.

Diarrhoea claimed the life of 12-year-old Vishakha from the Fatehgarh road area of the city on Wednesday.

District epidemiologist Dr Shailesh confirmed that all 20 water samples taken from Kamalpur, Labh Nagar and Subhash Nagar areas, which were examined at a laboratory in Chandigarh, had failed.

Minister for Industries and Commerce and local MLA Sunder Sham Arora ordered a probe into the matter, fixing a two-week deadline for its completion. He said those found guilty would be severely dealt with. He visited patients at the civil hospital.

Addressing a press conference, Arora said: “The reasons for the cholera outbreak would be probed within two weeks and the officers and personnel found guilty would face strict action. At present, our focus is to control its spread. The situation is under control to a large extent.”

The minister said he had visited the affected areas and the number of incoming patients had decreased. “There is no dearth of medicines in the hospital,” he claimed.

Asked about the measures to prevent contamination of water due to mixing of sewage, he said a project aimed at draining storm water would be initiated soon.

He said the water supply from 14 tubewells to the affected areas had been disconnected and the clean drinking water was being provided through tankers.