“The number of patients rose sharply on Wednesday compared to the preceding three days,” said Homnath Subedi, a health worker posted at Emergency Ward, Bheri Zonal Hospital. [break]
Cholera bacteria has also been detected in a number of cases.
In the three days preceding Wednesday, 30 to 35 diarrhea patients were visiting the hospital every day. But on Wednesday, 70 patients visited the hospital, according to Subedi.
This has raised fears that the danger of a full-fledged epidemic remains strong.
Patients inflow has also risen at Nepalgunj Teaching Hospital and at nursing homes. According to the District Public Health Office, around 100 diarrhea patients are receiving treatment at the zonal hospital and nursing homes. So far, over 900 patients have returned home after treatment.
More worrisome still, patients who had returned home after treatment have developed diarrhea again.
According to Subedi, 15 patients who had received treatment have returned to Bheri Zonal Hospital after developing diarrhea again.
Meanwhile, the outbreak that was limited to a few wards of Nepalgunj Municipality for nine days has spread to other wards by now. The most recent cases have been detected at Bhrikutinagar and Koreanpur. Patients from areas outside Nepalgunj Municipality have also started arriving for treatment.
With the spread of the disease now rampant, health workers are facing an uphill task.
In the past nine days, seven people including five children have died of diarrhea in Nepalgunj.
In view of the threat, PABSON in Banke announced a three-day closure of all private schools here beginning Wednesday. Government schools have been shut for the summer vacation since even before the outbreak.
Locals are worried that rising temperatures and lack of rain for the past three days could worsen the situation.
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