The Hindu : Front Page : Toll from consumption of contaminated water 11

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Monday, May 11, 2009
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Toll from consumption of contaminated water 11

Two more residents of Bholakpur in Hyderabad die on Sunday, increasing the toll

— Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

No escape: Passersby trying to escape the overpowering stench coming from hide and bone storage units in Bholakpur in Hyderabad on Sunday.

HYDERABAD: The toll due to consumption of contaminated drinking water at Bholakpur here increased to 11 on Sunday. The authorities confirmed that two more persons, Andalamma (69) and Rehmat Abdul (77), hailing from Bholakpur, died on Sunday.

Andalamma was admitted to the Fever Hospital here on May 3 and later shifted to Osmania General Hospital before being discharged. She died at her residence. Authorities informed that they are still trying to collect more information with regard to the causes of the death of the second person Rehmat Abdul.

Gastro cases

Meanwhile, on Sunday, cases of gastroenteritis continued to be reported from areas like Patelnagar of Amberpet, Dhobighat at Malakpet and few parts of New Bholakpur.

The medical camps, being run by district medical authorities, continued to receive a large number of patients from these areas complaining of diarrhoea and vomiting.

Even as the deaths have gone up to 11, the authorities at Gandhi Hospital maintained that the number of fresh cases from Bholakpur are gradually decreasing. Fever Hospital authorities also asserted that fresh cases of gastroenteritis rom Bholakpur have not been reported on Sunday.

Cholera samples

Meanwhile, at a review meeting conducted by Chief Secretary P. Ramakanth Reddy, Principal Secretary, Medical & Health L. V. Subramanyam informed that in Fever Hospital, out of 12 positive cholera samples, eight were from Musheerabad, three from Bholakpur and one from Moula Ali.

Teams constituted

He said rapid response teams with a professor of medicine, a professor of paediatrics and a professor of microbiology each were constituted and sent to Bholakpur to take up an epidemiological study. The report would be submitted soon, he added.

The team of researchers from National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) on Sunday continued their study by visiting several parts of Bholakpur. The researchers interacted with local residents, collected water and blood samples of the residents, Gandhi Hospital authorities informed.

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