Parsa, August 25
Cholera, which recently broke out in Birgunj, has now spread to the community level, with 79 confirmed infections as of Monday morning. The source of the outbreak remains unidentified.
According to Jayamod Thakur, Public Health Officer at the Health Office Parsa, 71 cases had been confirmed by Sunday evening, while eight additional infections were detected on Monday. The cases have been reported from different wards across Birgunj.
Patients are undergoing treatment in several hospitals. A World Health Organization (WHO) representative has collected water samples from the affected areas for laboratory testing to trace the cause.
Dr. Uday Narayan Singh, spokesperson for Narayani Hospital, said the hospital is overwhelmed by the surge in cholera patients amid a shortage of beds and staff. “The current workforce is inadequate to handle the growing number of patients,” he said, adding that no significant institutional support has been provided so far.
Along with cholera, hospitals are also reporting a rise in other cases, including snakebites and fever, further straining health services.
Of the confirmed cases, 26 were reported at Narayani Hospital, 25 at Terai Hospital, nine at National Medical College, three at Bhawani Hospital, and two each at Birgunj Health Care, Ali Artho Hospital, and Mangalam Pathology. Details of the latest eight infections are yet to be confirmed.
—RSS
