Deadly outbreak: Cholera claims lives of two girls in Swabi

Five more people said to be suffering from the disease.

SWABI: Two minor girls died by cholera in Topi village of Swabi district on Wednesday.

Bakht Munir, father of the deceased girls, said both his daughters fell ill late night on Tuesday, after which he rushed them to Topi Civil Hospital. However, due to lack of medicines and proper facilities he shifted them to District Headquarters Hospital, Swabi, where they breathed their last at around 2:00am on Wednesday.

Munir added five more people in the neighbourhood were suffering from cholera, but survived after receiving adequate healthcare in hospitals of Peshawar.



District Health Officer Dr Sherin told The Express Tribune he dispatched two vaccination teams to Shaheedan Mohallah after hearing about the cases in the morning, adding floodwater was also tested for cholera. The officer explained contaminated water had mixed with drinking water, resulting in the spread of the disease.

According to Dr Sherin, initial postmortem reports suggested the two girls had consumed contaminated custard, which resulted in vomiting and diarrohea.

“The vaccination teams have advised people to boil water before consuming it and water purification tablets have also been provided to the residents,” added the district health officer, saying once they have provided necessary provisions it is up to the people to guard themselves against the disease.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2013.