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Two dead, over 70 ill in suspected diarrhoea outbreak in Patiala locality
The deceased include a five-year-old boy and two-year-old girl; 10 patients are admitted in Mata Kaushalya Hospital and six patients are recovering in private hospitals in Patiala
Two children died of suspected diarrhoea while 70 others fell ill after drinking contaminated water at New Mohindra Colony in Patiala on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. Patiala municipal corporation officials have taken water samples from the area for testing, he added
The deceased include a five-year-old boy and two-year-old girl.
Civil surgeon Dr Raju Dhir said, “At least 76 diarrhoea-affected patients and two suspected diarrhoea deaths have been reported so far. At least 16 people are currently admitted in government and private hospitals. A team of doctors are also camping in the area since Friday night when news of the outbreak came in.”
He said that 10 patients are admitted in Mata Kaushalya Hospital and six patients are recovering in private hospitals. On the reason behind the outbreak, Dr Dhir said, “The spread of diarrhoea seems to be due to contamination of drinking water as several cases have come to fore from the same area at the same time.”
Municipal corporation (MC) officials have taken water samples from the area for testing, he added. The civil surgeon also stated that potable water through tankers is being supplied to area. The health department has also distributed chlorine tablets to purify drinking water.
MC officials, meanwhile, said that test reports from last week show that the water supply was as per standard norms. Doctors appealed to the public to report the camp if they have symptoms of diarrhoea, which include vomiting and fever. Earlier in June, two children had died of diarrhoea while more than 40 people of the Shamdo camp in Rajpura were taken ill.
