Kathmandu, June 16
Cholera has been detected in Kathmandu. Two people tested positive for the disease at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital on Thursday.
The hospital’s information officer, Nawaraj Gautam, said that two people had been referred by Kathmandu Model Hospital.
“The patients’ PCR test is being done. They told us they became ill after eating chatpate (a local spicy snack) in Bag Bazar,” says Gautam. “We found Vibrio cholerae in their antigen test.”
Both patients are suffering from diarrhoea, said Gautam, and hence they are being kept in the hospital’s emergency ward. “We will soon transfer them to the inpatient department,” he said.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with bacteria. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.
Sukraraj Hospital is seeing around 10 patients suffering from diarrhoea on a daily basis.
