Cholera outbreak suspected in Krishnanagar, Kapilvastu
By Janu Pandey, Kapilvastu, Oct. 6: An outbreak of Cholera has been suspected in Krishnanagar Municipality of Kapilvastu district.
Looking into the symptoms of the patients visiting hospitals lately, an inspection team of District Health Office, Kapilvastu, and Provincial Health Directorate has suspected the outbreak of Cholera in Krishnanagar Municipality.
Hemraj Pandey, chief of Kapilvastu District Health Office, said, "In order to ascertain the situation of the disease in the area, we have sent stool samples of some patients to the laboratory for test." It will take at least 48 hours to receive the test report.
Although a team of health workers has been deployed in the affected area, the number of patients is increasing significantly.
According to a report of the district health office, a total of 120 diarrhea patients were recorded until Tuesday evening. "The number doubled to 240 by Wednesday morning at 10:00 pm," said Umesh Chandra Ghimire, health assistant at the office.
Following a massive increase in the number of patients, we are compelled to provide treatment by cramming three patients in one bed, said Dr. Mukesh Chaudhary of Shivaraj Hospital in Bahadurganj.
Of the patients admitted to Shivaraj Hospital, 35 have been referred to Lumbini Provincial Hospital in Butwal and Taulihawa Hospital. Similarly, additional two doctors from Lumbini Provincial Hospital and four from Kapilvastu Hospital have been deployed in the area.
Similarly, secretary of Province Health Ministry Bikash Devkota and Director of Province Health Directorate Dr. Binod Kumar Giri visited Krishnanagar to inspect the situation.
Raj Pratap Sah, mayor of Krishnanagar Municipality has already appealed to everyone for help.
Number of patients unknown
It has been said that 240 patients suffering from similar illnesses were recorded until Wednesday morning. This number includes only those patients who visited Shivaraj Hospital. The actual number of people suffering from the illness has not been ascertained yet.
The disease has already spread in Sukharampur, Jamuni, Devanagadiya, Bahadurganj, Ganespur, and Dabara settlements among others of Krishnanagar-7, 8, and 9.
Many patients are also visiting private clinics for treatment but the local level has not received the data of patients receiving treatment in private clinics.
Moreover, due to the overflow of patients, Shivaraj Hospital has been providing treatment in hospital corridors, terraces,s and in Gorkha Secondary School located near the hospital premises.
Shankar Bhattarai, chief of the health department of the municipality, said that the actual number of patients suffering from the illness would be updated soon.
Meanwhile, two people from Bahadurgunj in Krishnanagar-8 have already succumbed to the illness. The deceased has been identified as 45-year-old Ram Prasad Kewat and eight-year-old Raj Kashyap.