Cholera germs in rivers, canals behind Barishal’s diarrhoea cases: IEDCR
The widespread cases of diarrhoea in Barishal division is due to the presence of cholera-causing germs in rivers and canals, from where water is being taken and used for household work, Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and Barishal Civil Surgeon Office have confirmed.
Divisional Health Office sources said IEDCR has released a report of one of the two teams sent by the institute to investigate the matter. Information gathered from preliminary investigation of the other team has been relayed to the civil surgeon as well.
In light of the report and information, health officials of Barishal division recommended not to drink water from rivers, canals and ponds, nor use it for household work. Authorities are miking in the streets, requesting people not use such water.
Barishal Divisional Health Director Dr Basudeb Kumar Das said IEDCR sent a team of six people in March, and it worked from March 1-14 at Barguna and found cholera causing-germs in patients' stool.
According to the preliminary report sent by IEDCR, cholera rapid test was performed on stool samples of 20 people, and the cholera-causing bacterium V cholerae was found in three of the samples. After culturing the samples at IEDCR's lab, E coli, another cholera-causing bacterium, was also found.
IEDCR Director Prof Tahmina Shirin signed the report, Barishal divisional health director confirmed.Barishal division usually experiences a wave of diarrhoea cases this time of the year, but this year, cases appear to be excessive. Using water from deep tube-wells or boiling the water taken from river and canals were recommended.
Meanwhile, Barishal District Civil Surgeon Dr Monwar Hossain said another team has been working in Barishal for the last few days, and they are also collecting patients' information.According to the report, 71 percent of patients used water from rivers and canals for household work.
"The team already informed the civil surgeon office that they have found E coli in stool samples and in the water of rivers and canals," said Dr Monwar.
IEDCR team member Dipankar Das said they have taken samples from hospitals in different upazilas, including Barishal General Hospital, and the results will be revealed by IEDCR.
Barishal Divisional Commissioner Saiful Islam Badal said, "We have arranged for miking in remote area of every upazila to prevent diarrhoea cases."
"People were asked to boil water before use," he added. Apart from this, saline has been urgently sought from Dhaka, so that there is no shortage. He said the saline crisis would be over, if 35,000 saline bags were made available in the next few days.
According to Barishal Divisional Health Office, 35,135 people suffered from diarrhoea from January till the report's release.
In the last 24 hours, 1,542 got diarrhoea and nine died.
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