Cholera Outbreak Confirms in Lalitpur, NepalCholera Outbreak Confirms in Lalitpur, Nepal On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health and Population confirmed an outbreak of cholera in Thaiba, Godawari Municipality, Lalitpur District. This outbreak is a reminder of the ongoing threat of waterborne diseases in Nepal, particularly during the monsoon season. Laboratory tests revealed the presence of Vibrio cholera 01 Ogawa serotype in a patient’s stool sample. Health officials in Lalitpur reported that several individuals have been infected at the “Drug-Free Society” rehabilitation center in Thaiba. Rapid spread and Fleeing Patients Rapid diagnostic tests have identified at least four residents of the rehabilitation center with cholera. However, the situation has been complicated by the fact that three of these patients fled the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital on Monday evening. Officials believe the patients may have escaped to avoid being quarantined or returned to the rehabilitation clinic. The remaining infected individual is being treated in the intensive care unit, while water and stool samples have been collected from the drug rehabilitation center. Historical Outbreaks and Vulnerability Cholera outbreaks are not uncommon in the Kathmandu Valley during the monsoon season. In 2022, 77 cases of cholera were confirmed in the Valley. The rainy season contaminates water sources, increasing the risk of waterborne infections. Nepal’s poor sanitation and hygiene conditions make it particularly vulnerable to diseases like cholera. The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of a multifaceted approach to controlling cholera, including: * Safe drinking water provision * Sanitation and hygiene maintenance * Social mobilization * Treatment Prevention and Awareness To prevent further spread of the infection, health authorities urge the public to be aware of cholera symptoms and avoid contaminated food and water. Doctors recommend boiling water before drinking, practicing good hygiene, and washing hands frequently. The government and aid organizations should work together to provide clean water, sanitation facilities, and health education campaigns to minimize the impact of cholera outbreaks.
The Ministry of Health and Population on Tuesday confirmed an outbreak of cholera in Thaiba, Godawari Municipality, Lalitpur District.
A patient with severe diarrhea tested positive for cholera, officials said.
“A laboratory report confirmed cholera in a diarrhoea patient,” said Dr Prakash Budhathoky, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health. “Stool samples of other diarrhoea patients have also been collected for testing.”
Cholera is a highly contagious disease that causes severe diarrhea and vomiting, which in turn results in dehydration and can lead to death within hours if left untreated. The World Health Organization says that cholera is a global public health threat and an indicator of inequality and lack of social development.
Health officials reported that the Vibrio cholera 01 Ogawa serotype was confirmed in a stool sample from an infected patient.
Officials at the Health Office, Lalitpur told the Post that several people have been infected in a suspected cholera outbreak at the “Drug-Free Society”, a drug rehabilitation centre in Thaiba. Rapid diagnostic tests confirmed that at least four residents have cholera.
“Out of the six samples tested, four were positive for cholera,” a municipal official told the Post on condition of anonymity. “One patient, in serious condition with severe diarrhea, has been admitted to the intensive care unit of the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital.”
All four infected persons were referred to Sukraraj Hospital by the local health authority on Monday. But three of them fled the hospital on Monday evening, health ministry officials said.
“Three patients, who tested positive in rapid diagnostic tests, escaped through the window of the hospital toilet on Monday night,” spokesman Budhathoky said. “Another patient, whose condition is serious, is being treated in the hospital’s intensive care unit. The patient, who tested positive for cholera, has been admitted to a hut in the hospital.”
Officials said patients may have fled the hospital to avoid going to the rehabilitation clinic.
After news of the suspected cholera outbreak emerged, the Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control, the agency responsible for combating outbreaks of the disease, sent a team of health workers to the rehabilitation center.
“Water and stool samples have been collected from the rehabilitation centre,” said Dr Hemanta Chandra Ojha, an official from the department.
Cholera outbreaks often occur in the Kathmandu Valley during the monsoon season, with hundreds of people suffering from diarrhea for months.
In May, a 62-year-old man from Makawanpur district, who was hospitalized with severe diarrhea, tested positive for the deadly disease. The man is said to have been a long-time resident of Kathmandu.
In 2022, a total of 77 cases of cholera were confirmed in the Valley. Last year, health authorities administered an oral cholera vaccine in wards 11, 12 and 13 of Kathmandu metropolis, which were hard hit by the outbreak.
Experts say a cholera outbreak in the valley during the monsoon is particularly worrying. Rainwater contaminates most water sources, increasing the risk of more people becoming infected with waterborne diseases, including cholera.
Due to poor sanitation and hygiene conditions, Nepal is very vulnerable to water-borne diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis and cholera. Thousands of people are infected every year.
Doctors say contaminated water and food are the main causes of cholera in the Kathmandu Valley. According to the World Health Organization, a multifaceted approach is essential to control cholera and reduce deaths.
Doctors have asked authorities to organise awareness campaigns against waterborne diseases and provide safe drinking water to prevent deaths from diseases such as cholera.
Doctors say a combination of careful investigations, provision of safe drinking water, maintenance of sanitation and hygiene, social mobilization and treatment are needed to contain the spread of the infection.
