Tamil Nadu: Diarrhea outbreak, 6 fatalities

[Ronan Kelly]

Two people die of diarrhoea
map: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&i...78.159184&sspn=0.041957,0.030813&iwloc=A&sa=X

Staff Reporter

DHARMAPURI: Two people died of acute diarrhoeal diseases in Dharmapuri district on Saturday. N. Ayyanar, Deputy Director, Health Services, told The Hindu that K. Mannudurai, 60, and C. Pachaiyappan, 58, died of acute diarrhoeal diseases.

Mannudurai died at the Pennagaram Government General Hospital and Pachaiyappan at the Government Medical College Hospital.

Besides this, 15 people were given treatment at the village. A group of five doctors and 20 nurses are stationed at the village and the situation is under control.

Meanwhile, one more person M. Periyagundan, 70, died on Friday. The cause of death is yet to be ascertained.

Collector P. Amutha visited the village and gave directions to the health and water supply authorities to take all preventive measures. Jayakumar, Joint Director, Public Health and Preventive Diseases, also visited the village on Saturday.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/23/stories/2010052362470600.htm

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Tamil Nadu: Diarrhea outbreak, 2 fatalities

Re: Tamil Nadu: Diarrhea outbreak, 2 fatalities

Diarrhoea spreads across Chennai
Julie Mariappan, TNN, Jun 1, 2010, 03.23am IST

CHENNAI: Cyclone Laila did not batter the city, but the rains that came with it have triggered a significant rise in cases of acute diarrhoeal disorders (ADD) across the city. At least 790 persons, including 160 from mofussil areas, have been admitted to the Chennai Corporation-run Communicable Diseases Hospital (CDH) in Tondiarpet in the last seven days and one death has been reported.

?ADD is rearing its ugly head. A resident of Meersahibpet, who was referred from the Royapettah Government Hospital to CDH, died before admission at 2.30am on Tuesday last,? a senior official told TOI. The hospital is seeing a steady inflow of patients, sources claimed, with the number of admissions ranging between 63 and 154 a day. ?Cases are being reported from across the city, including high-end residential colonies in south Chennai,? he added.

The cases started trickling in since May 23, days after Laila moved closer to the city?s coastline. But Sunday last was the worst, with a record number of people with ADD symptoms thronging CDH. The records show at least 133 cases were from the city (a majority from Chintadripet) and another 21 from mofussil areas in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts. Private hospitals also reported a large number of ADD cases in the last few days.

Acute diarrhoea is usually caused by bacteria or virus, resulting in cramps, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea and frequent need to use the toilet. Doctors have advised people to avoid having unsafe water or food.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...preads-across-Chennai/articleshow/5996520.cms

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Tamil Nadu: Diarrhea outbreak, 2 fatalities

Re: Tamil Nadu: Diarrhea outbreak, 2 fatalities

Two die of diarrhoea

Special Correspondent

TIRUCHI: A one-and-a-half-year-old child and a 60-year-old man were reported to have died due to acute diarrhoea near Musiri in Tiruchi district on Thursday.
About 20 others with complaints of diarrhoea have been admitted to the Musiri Government Hospital. The outbreak was reported from the four villages of Thumbalam, Pappapatti, Panangadu, and Sitralarai and few nearby hamlets. Residents started tricking into the hospital from Thursday morning.

According to district officials, Ganga (18 months) of Pappatti village was the first casualty when she died on way to the hospital on Thursday. Periyasamy (60) of Panangadu died immediately on being admitted to the hospital. Though another death had occurred at Thumbalam, Health Department officials maintained that it was unrelated to the outbreak.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/18/stories/2010061851190500.htm


2 die in Tirunelveli of suspected diarrhoea

Staff Reporter

Tirunelveli: Mary (65) and Mohideen Salai Pitchai (60) of Erwadi died of suspected diarhoea and vomiting on Thursday. The residents of N.S. Puram, which is attached to Erwadi Town panchayat in Tirunelveli, were taken to a private hospital on Wednesday night following complaints of vomiting and diarhhoea. According to a statement, 23 persons were admitted to the hospital and four out of them returned home following treatment.

The rest of them were undergoing treatment. Eight persons were undergoing treatment at another private hospital and four others were taking medical treatment at a primary health centre. Collector M. Jayaraman visited the hospital and enquired about their health condition. He ruled out the outbreak of diarhhoea and said the two died of cardiological problems. He said samples of drinking water have been taken for testing.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/18/stories/2010061858250200.htm

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Tamil Nadu: Diarrhea outbreak, 6 fatalities

Diarrhoea outbreak exposes unpreparedness
Staff Reporter

?Health Department could have saved at least three lives?

Lack of transparency in the findings of Public Health Department

Nobody is prepared to reveal anything about the nature of the microorganism

TIRUNELVELI: The loss of five precious lives in the recent diarrhoea outbreak at Ervadi in the district has once again categorically made it clear that the Department of Public Health is still not prepared to meet the outbreak of a contagious disease, normally reported during active monsoons, even during the hottest summer.

Even as the local body cannot escape from its responsibility of providing its tax-paying residents protected drinking water fit for human consumption, the Department should have ensured proper treatment to the badly dehydrated diarrhoea victims undergoing treatment in both private hospitals and the primary health centres.

After realising that the treatment being given is far from satisfactory, a visibly agitated Collector M. Jayaraman ordered the immediate shifting of all the victims to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital.

?The Department personnel, who have been adequately trained in dealing with such serious situations, could have saved at least three lives. However, their insensitive approach made the situation more serious,? admitted a top revenue official.

The gravest part of this episode is the lack of transparency in the findings of the Department about the outbreaks of transmittable diseases. Even after five lives were lost, the Department officials are repeatedly saying that the contaminated drinking water was the reason behind the diarrhoea outbreak and nobody is prepared to reveal anything about the nature of the microorganism ? whether it was a virus or a bacteria ? that caused the havoc.

?Department officials, who always hold the local bodies responsible for any outbreak of communicable disease, will never say anything about the nature of the microbe.

The Departmentshould collect drinking water samples from the suspected areas so that prevention will be possible in future,? said two senior officials attached to the Departments of Panchayat and Town Panchayat while admitting to their failure.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/21/stories/2010062151250300.htm