KOLKATA: Two women from Kamarhati in North 24-Parganas have died following diarrhea while around 68 more patients have been undergoing treatment in the College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital. Six patients have been shifted to other hospitals as their health condition deteriorated, sources in the hospital said.
People mainly from 5 wards under the Kamarhati municipality have been affected. The cause of diarrhea is yet to be ascertained.
It was learnt that few patients came to the same hospital with abdominal pain and vomiting couple of days back.
The number of patients kept mounting with each passing day, triggering concern among the hospital authorities. Doctors from various departments are serving at the emergency department to meet the extra rush of patients. It is suspected that it might have been caused due to drinking water.
An administrator from the Kamarhati Municipality said infection spread rapidly and it might have been caused from the contaminated water. Local administration has kept a drinking water tank in the area. The civic body officials also contacted the Health department.
They have applied to the Health department for the examination of samples of water which might have triggered the situation. The civic body also urged the local people to be alert and not to create panic.National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) authorities said they had the expertise to find out of the cause of the outbreak by examining the water but no samples were sent to them. NICED also suspects that it might have been cholera as in around 80 per cent of such cases it is found to be cholera, an official claimed.
"Rectal swab and water specimen were collected for the laboratory diagnosis. All required public health measures like water clorination, visit by medical team, halogen distribution and health advice was given. The chairman, Kamarhati Municipality confirmed that the entire situation is under control," senior health official said.