Cholera spreading in North Chennai

CHENNAI: Cholera cases have been increasingly reported in the city for the past three weeks, especially among the residents of North Chennai, with many patients being treated in hospitals for the intestines-affecting bacterial disease. Doctors attribute the trigger to consumption of contaminated water amid rains and water-logging.

Dr Mohana Kumar of Ezhil hospital in Tondiarpet confirmed on Tuesday a spurt in cholera patients, adding that some of the cases had been severe owing to a mix-up of drinking water and sewage water. “Of the many diarrhoeal cases, there are at least three confirmed cases of cholera every week. The affected age group ranges from from 5 to 55 years,” he pointed out.

Most of the cases are from Vysarpadi, Tiruvotriyur, Tondiarpet and other areas in North Chennai. A hospital authority at the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondiarpet informed that the last one week saw more than 20 persons getting admitted with serious diarrhoeal disorder, and that a few of them did test positive for cholera.

Children have to be on the watch-out too, says Dr P Rama­chandran, Director of the Institute of Child Health. In the last one week, three children confir­med having cholera, he added.

A senior official at the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said this year has so far reported 707 cases of cholera and one death till August. This month alone has reported 166 cases of cholera. The main reason is unhygienic water supply system, he said, asking for a better water supply system.

“Right now, the number is not alarmingly high as it used to be previously, but precautions have to be taken to keep them at bay,” he said.

Civic authorities, though, refuse to confirm the presence of cholera and maintain that the present cases are sporadic in nature, adding that large numbers have not been reported from any particular area.

Dr C Rajendran, HoD, Internal Medicine, Government General Hospital, says that acute diarrhoeal infecions are on the rise and most of them are being tested for cholera. His advise: drink only boi­led water and frequen­tly wash your hands.