GULMI, May 2: A diarrhea outbreak which claimed one life and affected more than 200 in Dajakot of Musikot Municipality-4 has been finally come under control since Wednesday.
Contaminated water of Nurekhola Drinking Water Project (NDWP) has been blamed for the outbreak. After conducting a test, it was learnt that the water contained e.coli bacteria which are usually found in feces. According to DB GC, Health Coordinator of Musikot, the outbreak has come under control from the start of this week.
“A very few people with diarrhea started coming to the health camp in the village since Sunday,” said Coordinator GC, adding, “But from Wednesday the flow of diarrhea patients has completely stopped.”
Diarrhea outbreak leaves over 160 bed-ridden in Gulmi
After terrorizing the villagers for ten days, the diarrhea outbreak has stopped, said local Hari Chhantel.
Twelve-year-old Resham Sinjali, a sixth grader at the local Pashupati Lower Secondary School died from diarrhea a few days ago. A large number of health workers from the municipality, District Hospital and from Kathmandu were deployed in the area for the treatment of patients.
The number of patients was so high that health workers had to provide treatment in the open. “After conducting regular health camps and mobilizing a large number of health workers we succeeded in controlling the outbreak in ten days,” said Somnath Sapkota, the mayor of Musikot.
A total of 84 households use the water distributed by NDWP. Some of the patients were also referred to the District Hospital, Tamghas, while some were treated in Chitwan.
Various expert teams including a team of doctors from the World Health organization (WHO) led by Dr Priyanka Shrestha, another from the Department of Water Supply, Kathmandu, Health Department and Water Ambulance had reached the affected area to treat the patients and find out the reason behind the outbreak.