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

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 02, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Cholera cases on the rise

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MAY 1. The Capital has reported 415 cases of cholera since January this year and in April the city had 390 cases with 60 cases being registered on Friday. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has announced a series of measure to tackle the situation.

While the Infectious Diseases Hospital has been converted into a female and children cholera ward, the Municipal Commissioner, Rakesh Mehta, has announced that the MCD along with the Delhi Jal Board would be taking samples from the affected areas. Mobile teams would go to these areas to keep the disease under check, he added.

Giving details of the number of cases reported so far, Mr. Mehta said 20 per cent of the cases were reported from unauthorised colonies, 24 per cent from urbanised colonies, 20 per cent from slum clusters and 22 per cent from others. Also, 4 per cent of the cases coming into the city were from the adjoining States of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Mr. Mehta said the mobile teams would go to the affected areas and lift as many as 30 samples.

Meanwhile, with the number of cholera cases in Delhi touching a record high this April, the Delhi Medical Association has put in place a helpline service to give guidance to the general public about water and vector borne diseases.

"Delhi has already recorded 350 cases of cholera so far, but we believe that the figures are even more because cases being reported at private clinics and nursing homes do not come out in the open. On an average, there are at least 20 cases of cholera daily. Even cases of gastroenteritis is on the rise and we see a need for people to be educated about these ailments,'' explained president DMA, I.P Dhalla.

The Association has also released a list of Do's and Don'ts which include: boil water before use, avoid attaching boosters on water drains, use one chlorine tablets for 20 litres of water and keep it for half an hour so as to kill the germs, wash your hands before having your food, cover the drinking water containers and avoid ice and its crushed preparation from market.

Also, the helpline service would be available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on 9810745433, 981108688, 32100825, 20050140, 32101032, and 9811090206.

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