The Hindu : New Delhi News : Cholera, diarrhoea cases on the rise

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 22, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Cholera, diarrhoea cases on the rise

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, APRIL 21. The summer heat and lack of potable water in the Capital are taking their toll with the city recording the highest number of cholera cases in 15 years in the month of April.

The Capital recorded 154 cases in 1999 and 137 in 2002, while last year only one case was reported in April. This time round, however, there has already been an upsurge with 21 cases being recorded today alone.

Alarmed at the situation, the Delhi Government has called for immediate remedial measures and also directed that water samples be collected from various sites in the Capital for testing.

Meanwhile, even as the number of cholera cases is on the rise, the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences today issued a warning about the rise in yet another waterborne disease -- diarrhoea, especially among children.

According to AIIMS, children especially up to five years of age are most vulnerable to diarrhoea, and failure to rehydrate and replenish the lost salts, fluids and electrolytes could prove fatal. Fortunately dehydration and the resultant mortality are fully preventable, provided all of us take certain precautions and follow the recommended guidelines.

To prevent the disease and its consequences, the Diarrhoeal Diseases Research Group at AIIMS has recommended guidelines to keep parents informed on how to prevent their children from contracting diarrhoea, and in case it does occur, how to manage the same.

According to Dr. Shinjinii Bhatnagar of the Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Nutrition Research at AIIMS, "in case of children, the water and salt loss from the body is far more than the adults resulting in a drastic drop of energy levels. Besides, dehydration related to diarrhoea often causes so much loss of essential body fluids that the child can face a life-threatening consequence. More than any other medicines or antibiotics, these children need immediate replenishment of body fluids, which is best done by administering WHO-recommended ORS."

"In fact, the child should be administered WHO-ORS on the first signs of diarrhoea. It should be repeated after every loose stool, and continued until diarrhoea stops. This prevents dehydration from occurring and makes WHO-ORS an inexpensive and extremely effective solution to manage diarrhoea and ensure safety of your child," she added.

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