The spread of the cholera remains uncontrolled and the deadly disease has been detected in various parts of Kathmandu and Lalitpur.
Health experts warn of a catastrophy, as a patient from Nuwakot district has also tested positive.Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital (STIDH), which conducted tests of stool samples of diarrheal patients admitted to the hospital, said that 43 people have tested positive for cholera as of Sunday and an additional 10 have tested positive in the hanging drop test. The hanging drop technique is a well-established method for examining living, unstained micro-organisms.
"Forty-three people have tested positive for cholera and an additional 10 have been found positive in the hanging drop test," Dr Sher Bahadur Pun of STIDH said. He said that most of the cases found positive in the hanging drop test were later confirmed positive for cholera. Dr Pun also said that some of the patients admitted to the hospital were rushed there only in the critical stages.
According to Dr Pun, serotypes Ogawa and Inaba, which are associated with cholera, have been detected in patients admitted to the hospital.
Similarly, Patan Hospital said that three diarrheal patients there have tested positive for cholera and an additional five have tested positive in the hanging drop test. Kanti Children's Hospital has reported one patient admitted there testing positive for cholera.
Doctors at STIDH said that the disease has been spreading to various parts of the capital. They cited diarrheal patients from Kuleshwor, Kalimati, Balkhu, Thamel, Om Bahal, Lainchaur, Baneshwor, the Central Prison and other localities who have been found infected. Patan Hospital said that diarrheal patients from Chyasal and Balkhu have also been found infected.
Doctors assume that thousands of patients have been infected with diarrheal diseases as in most cases people bring the patients to hospital only when they are in a serious condition.
They said that only one out of 10 diarrheal patients seeks treatment in government hospitals. "About half the patients buy medicines from pharmacies and others seek treatment at private facilities," said Dr Pun. He said in some cases, entire families have been infected.
"The situation could become catastrophic if the disease has spread outside the Valley," Dr Shyam Raj Upretti said. He said it is a very serious matter that cholera has been detected in a patient from Nuwakot. "As the disease can be passed on by anyone from the district, health authorities should take immediate measures to controlled it," he added.
The Epidemiology and Disease Control division (EDCD) of the Department of Health Services (DoHS) concedes that cholera remains uncontrolled in the capital and that a patient from Kumari VDC, Nuwakot has tested positive.
Dr Baburam Marasini, director at EDCD, expressed his worry about the spread of cholera. "It would be challenging to control the disease if there is an outbreak in the earthquake-hit districts," he said, adding, " Anyone could transport the disease in those areas, as a lot of people from the affected districts have been living in the capital and they go to their respective districts frequently."
Dr Marasini claimed that EDCD has been doing its best to control the outbreak. "We have been launching awareness campaigns in the Kuleshorand-Kalimati area, asking people to ensure the quality of water before drinking it.
EDCD, which has launched an investigation into the spread of cholera, has found that well water in the Kuleshwor area has been contaminated with cholera. EDCD said the micro cracks caused by the devastating earthquake might be responsible for the contamination of well water. Sewage water might have entered the wells through the cracks. The disease can spread even if one uses utensils washed with the contaminated water.
Director Marasini said that it has been a struggle for EDCD to contain the outbreak as the ministry has curtailed its budget by one-third. "We have been running in debt," complained Dr Marasini.
Meanwhile, a study carried out by several agencies under the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) and the Nepal Army Medical Crops following the massive earthquake in April claims that populations in the earthquake-hit districts, including those in the Valley, are vulnerable to various epidemics, including diarrheal epidemics.
MoHP, which carried out the post-quake risk assessment in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Gorkha, Dhading, Sindhupalchowk and Kavrepalanchowk districts from April 30 to May 24, found that 74 percent of water samples collected from the affected districts were unfit for drinking.
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