Nepal: Birgunj cholera outbreak kills 3, over 300 hospitalized

Birgunj [Nepal], August 28 (ANI): The Parsa district of Nepal bordering India has seen an upsurge in cases of cholera in the past week, which till now have left three dead with over one hundred hospitalized, with some in critical condition.

The latest epidemic comes in the wake of the prolonged drought in the Southern plains of the Himalayan nation, suspected to be the reason behind the outbreak. Since last Friday, the doctors at the hospitals in Birgunj Metropolitan City have been receiving seriously ailing diarrheal patients who, upon rapid tests, show cholera.

"It was only last Friday, the influx of patients increased in the hospitals in Birgunj with the issue of diarrhoea, with many of them being admitted. Upon test first three cases were confirmed in a private hospital, turning positive for Cholera. Then, on the same day here (Narayani Hospital), in this government hospital, we also received nine cases. In the following days, the number kept on increasing, and most of those who underwent the test were diagnosed with Vibrio Cholera 01 tested positive while undergoing an antigen test. The central lab in Kathmandu has also confirmed the contagion. The serotype, which, with time, can result in an outbreak as a pandemic in Bangladesh and other countries, the same strain has been recorded here," Uday Narayan Singh, Doctor at Narayani Hospital, Birgunj, Parsa, told ANI.

Within the Birgunj Metropolitan City, cases have been reported from wards 3, 11, 12, 13 and 16. At Narayani Hospital alone, eight of the patients are in serious condition following renal (kidney) failure owing to the condition of dehydration due to excessive diarrheal conditions.

Cholera is a highly infectious disease that causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting, which can lead to dehydration and death within a few hours if left untreated. Public health experts say the ongoing Birgunj outbreak is the largest since the Jajarkot incident in 2009. Sixteen years ago, the far-western district of Jajarkot saw a major cholera outbreak that killed several and infected hundreds.

Officials say over two dozen critically ill patients are being treated in intensive care at various Birgunj hospitals. With the outbreak of the contagion, the hospitals in the city are running short of beds, with two patients compelled to share a single bed, as per the officials.

Nepal often witnesses outbreaks of water- and food-borne diseases, including cholera, during the monsoon season. Thousands of people get infected as floodwaters contaminate most of the drinking water sources.

Last year, at least 95 cholera cases were confirmed in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Kailali, Pyuthan, Makawanpur, Rolpa, Sindhupalchok, Achham, and Rautahat districts. The Vibrio cholera 01 Ogawa serotype was confirmed in the stool samples of infected patients.

The World Health Organisation says cholera is a global threat to public health, and a multifaceted approach is key to controlling the disease and reducing deaths. (ANI)

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