Around 1,200 diarrhoea patients admitted to icddr,b every day

A total of 1,138 diarrhoea patients were admitted to the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) in 24 hours till 12am today.

Meanwhile, 263 more diarrhoea patients were admitted to the icddr,b between 12am and 8am today.

This is the only time after 2007 and 2018 that such a large number of diarrhea patients have been admitted to icddr,b on a daily basis. Every day, over 1,000 patients had been admitted during those two years. But this year, the figure has risen to around 1,200, said AKM Tariful Islam Khan, media manager of icddr,b.

The outbreak of diarrhoea has been going on for more than a week, he said.

"Patients are being treated by setting up tents on the hospital premises to cope with the extra rush," AKM Tariful Islam Khan said.

To avoid diarrhoea, Baharul Alam, the hospital's director, advised drinking pure water and avoiding roadside food.

He said around 400 to 500 diarrhoea patients visit the clinic every day for treatment. However, an average of 500 patients were admitted every day in the first week of March this year, rising to 600 in the second week. Since March 16, the number of patients admitted each day has surpassed 1,000.