Outbreak: Over 3,000 gastro, diarrhoea cases reported in 10 days

Medical experts advise citizens to avoid street food and drink boiled water

KARACHI: More than 3,000 cases of gastroenteritis and diarrhoea have been reported in the last 10 days in various public hospitals of the city. Medical experts believed that more cases will be reported as stagnant rainwater has not yet been cleaned from various neighbourhoods of the megalopolis.

Over 1,800 children diagnosed with gastro-related complications and diarrhoea were brought to the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) while 1,100 children with same the complaints were taken to the Sindh Government Children Hospital.

The administration of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) confirmed that the number of cases of water-borne diseases have multiplied in the last two weeks.

"The number of cases of gastroenteritis and diarrhoea have increased rapidly after the heavy downpour in the city and Eidul Azha," confirmed Dr Hanesha Khemani, a gastroenterologist at JPMC. "We have at least nine cases daily," she added, advising citizens to use boiled water and avoid eating street foods.

JPMC Executive Director Dr Seemin Jamali said that cases of skin diseases, dengue, malaria, typhoid, hepatitis A and E, gastro and diarrhoea were reported. "Everyone has to take care of clean environment," she urged, saying piles of garbage and stagnant rainwater in various areas will create a more complicated situation.

"At least 1,800 children with gastro and diarrhoea were brought to the hospital in the last 10 days," said NICH Director Dr Jamal Raza. He said that around 150 children with same complaints were being taken to the NICH daily.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2019.