35 kids killed by unknown disease in western Nepal

[Gert van der Hoek]

35 kids killed by unknown disease in western Nepal



Thirty-five children have died of an unknown disease in Kalikot district over the last two months, according to the Kalikot District Public Health Office (DPHO).

Local leading media group's website THT Online reported on Monday that in Khin of Kalikot district, some 380 km northwest of capital Kathmandu, the children got cough in the beginning followed by fever, chest pain and finally died after profuse discharge of blood, Katak Mahat, a health worker at the DPHO said.

A mobile health team was sent to the region to bring under control the disease, which has gripped over 1,000 children there, he added.

Katak, who returned from the affected area to the district headquarters in connection with controlling the epidemic, said although the epidemic was not brought under full control, the situation was not so serious.

Some health personnel have stayed behind and medicines left there to control the epidemic, he added.

Local newspaper The Kathmandu reported the same case last week as 30 kids in Khin of Kalikot district died of a diarrhea epidemic between May 16 and June 21.

Most of the dead belong to dalit communities, belonging to lower caste. The outbreak has also spread into the neighboring villages.

Source: Xinhua

http://english.people.com.cn/200706/25/eng20070625_387425.html

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: 35 kids killed by unknown disease in western Nepal

Archive Number 20070629.2091
Published Date 29-JUN-2007
Subject PRO/EDR> Unexplained deaths - Nepal (Kalikot) (02)



UNEXPLAINED DEATHS - NEPAL (KALIKOT) (02)
*****************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: 27 Jun 2007
From: Manas Banerjee
<banerjeemanas@gmail.com>


Diarrhoea outbreak in Kalikot district, mid-western Region (Karnali Zone)
----------------------
I have verified with the district health office [DHO] chief, Dr Om Pd
Aryal, who returned to the district headquarters Manma of Kalikot District
after investigation and initiating control measures of the outbreak of
diarrhoea in 4 VDCs [Village Development Committee] of Kalikot district.
The affected areas lie 30 km [18.6 miles] north-west off the district center.

Approximately 8000 people are at risk, more than 6000 in Khina VDC alone.
Other VDC affected are Chappre, Thirpu, Dhulagoha. There were altogether 45
deaths out of which 39 are in Khina VDC alone. These areas are very remote
and difficult to access. It is possible only by about 2 days walking
(distance), inhabited by marginalised and dalits [lowest caste and
socioeconomic group].

However, a note must be made about the fact that some of these diarrhoeal
cases contracted secondary infection resulting in acute respiratory
infections (ARI) including pneumonia particularly children under 5 years in
deaths. This was confirmed by the medical officer. According to him the
team treated around 1200 episodes of diarrhoea and the outbreak started in
the 3rd week of April [2007], but the DHO was contacted in the 3rd week of
June [2007] only as the responsible health staff were absent due to transfers.

Presently the outbreak is under control and the partners like MSF-H and
Botex-Nepal and local administration extended invaluable support. The area
is under intensified surveillance.

--
communicated by:
Manas Banerjee
<banerjeemanas@gmail.com>
International Health Regulations Focal Point (IHR FP)
Nepal

[ProMED-mail would like to thank our colleagues in Nepal and WHO's
South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) for sharing the above information
with us. Dr Khanchit Limpakarnjanarat, the regional adviser, CSR, WHO/SEARO
had the following additional comment: "WHO/SEARO appreciates that the area
is difficult to reach. Unfortunately, many rumors are occurring in the
remote area. This highlights the need to develop RRT [Rapid Response Team]
capacity to expand the coverage in order to mobilize into the scene quickly
-- increasing coverage and timely investigations." WHO/SEARO has made an
offer to collaborate and assist Nepal for the further development of RRTs.

In the newswire accompanying the earlier ProMED-mail posting (see
Unexplained deaths - Nepal (Kalikot): RFI 20070625.2052) no symptomatology
was provided on the outbreak. There were earlier reports from April 2007
suggesting there was a major outbreak of diarrheal diseases in Kalikot, but
nothing further was mentioned on this in the newswire provided in the
posting. It now appears as though the outbreak is a continuation of the
aforementioned outbreak in April 2007. In the prior posting, data were
presented suggesting that the estimated mortality associated with this
outbreak represented approximately 50 per cent of the under 5 year old
mortality for Nepal as a whole. Given the remote nature of the affected
communities, combined with a description suggesting the involved
communities are from lower socioeconomic groups, one suspects that the
overall under 5 year old mortality in this group is significantly higher
than the estimated national average in Nepal. One suspects that the
newswire reported posted on ProMED-mail was just a tip of the iceberg on
the cause specific childhood morbidity and mortality in remote areas in Nepal.

This thread is closed unless more specific epidemiologic information on
this outbreak becomes available. - Mod.MPP]

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/prome..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,38149

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: 35 kids killed by unknown disease in western Nepal

Monsoon causes gastro outbreak [ 2007-7-4 ]

http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/content.php?nid=22292
By A Staff Reporter
KATHMANDU, July 3: Early pre-monsoon and timely monsoon caused the large number of gastroenteritis outbreak in the this year.

More than 50 people died of gastroenteritis out of 3574 cases in five districts, according to Epidemiology and Disease Control Unit (EDCU) under the Ministry of Health and Population. The districts recording the deaths are Kathmandu, Rautahat, Kalikot, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur.

There were 1154 cases in Kalikot and 45 died in a single day. There were 1539 cases of acute gastroenteritis among them 32 were identified as cholera in Kathmandu which claimed the life of five patients.

Director at the EDCU Dr. Manas Kumar Benarjee said the reason for the outbreak was bacterial contamination of drinking water. He suggested the advertisement on making water safe for drinking through boiling was not practical. Use of water treatment drops is the best and most convenient way to ensure safety of drinking water.

Dr. Benarjee said 3574 cases of acute gastroenteritis were registered at the EDCU, among them 38 cases were of cholera and two other suspected cases of the same disease. These claimed the life of 52 patients.

He said that all the districts have medicines to fight the outbreak and rapid response teams under the Ministry of Health and Population are being mobilised in all the 75 districts. Dr. Benarjee said the RRT has been reaching the affected areas within 24 to 48 hours. The medicines would be supplied as per the demands and there would be buffer stock at the regional and district level stores.

In 2002, 16 districts were affected and 31 died out of 2723 cases due to gastroenteritis, 35 died out of 6674 cases in 2003, 408 died out of 19811 cases in 2004 and 37 died out of 2137 cases in 2005.

Meanwhile, our Dhading correspondent said in a news report that the spread of gastroenteritis has claimed the life of a child while a dozen others have been affected in Satyadevi VDC-7 of the district.

Eight-year-old Kapil Tamang died due to diarrhea Tuesday morning. The Dhading district health office has sent a group of health workers to the affected areas upon receiving information about the spread.

The disease is assumed to have spread due to the use of contaminated drinking water, said senior health administrator Sagar Dahal.