1 dead, 39 hospitalised following diarrhoea in Karnataka

Mangalore Today News Network

Mysuru, May 21, 2024: After over 120 cases of suspected acute diarrhea and three confirmed cholera reported in Tagadur of Nanjangud taluk, now 68 cases of suspected cholera are reported in K Salundi village of Mysuru taluk, in Chief Minister’s home district Mysuru. Twenty-four-year-old Kanakaraju, a native of K Salundi has died due to suspected cholera in a private hospital.

 

Samples of eight patients including Kanaka have been sent for a cholera test and reports are awaited. The exact reason for the outbreak is yet to be ascertained. However, they have suspected water contamination to be the reason and they have drawn water samples of two borewells and overhead tank of the village for testing. The reports of water samples are yet to be awaited.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has spoken to Mysuru DC Dr K V Rajendra and DHO Dr P C Kumarswamy over call, and has taken the stock of the situation. He has directed them to check the exact cause for the outbreak and to take all necessary precautionary measures to control it. He has even asked them to make necessary arrangements to treat the patients.

Chamundeshwari constituency MLA G T Devegowda visited the patients who are admitted in various hospitals in Mysuru, and urged the Government to give compensation to the family of the deceased.

DHO Dr Kumarswamy told DH that five patients are admitted in Mysuru district hospital and four are admitted in various private hospitals. The cases reported are from Monday afternoon. Patients are coming up with the complaint of diarrhea, abdominal pain, guarding and dehydration. They have received more than 15 cases on Tuesday alone and they are expecting more.

He added that they have established a temporary 24/7 clinic at K Salundi and they have posted 18 staff, six doctors, six staff nurses, three community health officers, three health inspectors and stationed three ambulances. Considering the underlying cause to be cholera, they are giving doxycycline injection to the suspected cases as a prophylactic measure, he said.

When asked about the reason for the outbreak in two places of the district, he said that vector and waterborne diseases are common during rains. So they are geared up to treat the patients, draw samples for testing. They have taken up personal hygiene advocacy. Asha workers are visiting every household and advising people to drink boiled and cooled water. They are also distributing ORS packets to them, he said.

According to Harsha, assistant engineer of Bogadi Pattana panchayat, they recently got water samples of the borewell tested and overhead tank cleaned in K Salundi. They had provided water on Sunday. Since it had rained, they are testing if the sewage water had mixed up with that water. They are testing the water at the tap water connection point. Apart from Kanaka, eight of his other family members are well.