A team of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has been sent to Fort Abbas to control an outbreak of diarrhoea and dysentery and chlorinate water in adjacent rural areas, said Punjab Director of WHO, Dr Ismatullah Chaudhry. He said that a complete ban had been imposed on cigarette smoking in the affected area and all ice factories using contaminated water and manufacturing substandard ice had been closed down.
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Purified water was being supplied to the people using fire brigade vans, said Mr Chaudhry. More than 400 people suffering from diarrhoea and dysentery have been hospitalised in Fort Abbas town since July 2. Two of them have died, while 250 were cured and discharged, leaving only 150 people in THQ hospital. âA state of emergency has been declared in the hospital because almost 30 to 35 patients are being admitted daily,â said Dr Rao Shahid Tasleem, medical superintendent of THQ Hospital, Fort Abbas. âBesides two people who were brought to the hospital very late and died of dehydration, the epidemic has been largely controlled.â He said that at least 35 patients were discharged on Thursday, leaving only 150 in hospital. |