62pc water may have high levels of E.coli

Around 62 percent of water available to households of the Rohingya camps in Cox's bazar is contaminated with the possibility of having high levels of E.coli, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Unicef spokesperson Christophe Boulierac came up with this data on Tuesday at the regular press briefing in Geneva, Unicef reported.

The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) is working with authorities in Bangladesh to urgently investigate “high levels of E.coli contamination” in water drawn from wells inside the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar.

"We are also concerned over an increase in cases of acute watery diarrhoea (AWD), which have included several deaths," he added.

Between 25 August and November 11 this year, a total of 36,096 AWD cases were reported, including 10 related deaths -- 42 percent or 15,206 of which were children under the age of five.

"We are seeing an upward trend in infection rates. Whilst the exact cause of increased cases of AWD remains uncertain, it may be linked to contaminated food or water, Boulierac elaborated.

Some of the wells inside the camps were dug too shallowly, less than 40 meters deep; have been poorly sited; and are very congested with no safeguards to prevent bacterial contamination at ground level, the spokesperson said.

"Contamination may be being caused through poor hygiene practices, such as the use of dirty containers, bad hygiene habits of the population in water handling."

Unicef  and the Bangladesh authorities are investigating levels of contamination to ensure better construction practices for tube wells that meet international standards and have an appropriate ceiling.

"We are stepping up measures to distribute water purification tablets to provide for water treatment at the household level as well as promoting good hygiene practices," he said, noting that providing safe drinking water has been one of Unicef’s highest priorities in responding to the Rohingya refugees' needs.