Diarrhoea outbreak: 81 hospitalised in flood-hit Ctg in 24 hrs
Flood waters seeping into underground tube wells and reservoirs are contaminating supplies and increasing disease risk, health professionals say
Chattogram is grappling with a surge in diarrhoea cases as floods and waterlogging persist, leading to the hospitalisation of 81 individuals in the last 24 hours till Sunday noon.
Particularly affected are the upazilas of Boalkhali, Patia, and Chandanaish, where the number of diarrhoea patients is rising alarmingly.
According to the Chattogram Civil Surgeon's office, over the past day, 81 people have been admitted to hospitals across 15 upazilas due to diarrhoea, a slight decrease from the peak of 82 cases reported in the previous 24 hours until Saturday noon.
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Among these cases, a staggering 56 patients were hospitalised in Boalkhali in the last five days, with Patia and Chandanaish registering 41 and 39 cases respectively.
The overall count of diarrhoea patients in the district reached 329 in the past week. On 4 August, the count was comparatively lower, at 45 patients.
Dr Abdullah Al Mamun, the Health and Family Planning Officer of Satkania Upazila, told TBS, "As soon as floodwaters recede, patients from various areas of the upazila start arriving at hospitals. However, cases of water-borne diseases have yet to surface. The numbers are expected to rise once floodwaters fully recede."
The impact of the outbreak isn't limited to the upazilas alone. The port city is also witnessing an uptick in diarrhoea cases due to persistent waterlogging.
Dr Md Mamunur Rashid, Associate Professor at the Bangladesh Institute of Tropical Infectious Diseases, told TBS that the hospitalisation rate with diarrhoea has surged in the city from the usual 7-8 daily cases to 20-22 cases since the waterlogging began.
Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) was blamed for the sudden spike in diarrhoea cases within the city. Admitting the responsibility, Wasa released a public notice through media channels to alert its customers about the contaminated water.
Health professionals express concern that flood water seeping into homes and infiltrating underground tube wells and reserve water tanks is contaminating supplies and increasing disease risk.
This alarming situation is heightening the likelihood of more diarrhoea, cholera, and typhoid cases, as well as a surge in waterborne skin diseases. Physicians strongly advise the public to boil water and exercise extreme caution while consuming it.
Chattogram Civil Surgeon Dr Mohammed Elias Chowdhury emphasised that over half of the health issues in flood-affected areas stem from diarrhoea cases. He cautioned that these numbers might escalate further.
Medical teams have been mobilised to address the crisis, along with the stockpiling of saline and water purification tablets. However, people should be aware to stay safe from these diseases, he added.
