Tamil Nadu: Viral Dysentery, 6 fatalities.

[Ronan Kelly]

140 persons hospitalised with diarrhoea: Stalin



Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: One hundred and forty persons suffering from diarrhoea have been, as of now, admitted to hospitals following the mixing of sewage water in drinking water in areas served by the Uthamapalayam combined drinking water supply.

On Wednesday, 63 persons were taken to the Uthamapalayam, Chinnamanur and Theni hospitals. A 10-year-old girl, Pavithra, died. Others were under observation.

Medical teams had been sent to the areas concerned and all medical facilities are being made, Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said, replying to a discussion on a special call attention motion given by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

The Theni Collector was monitoring the situation. All overhead tanks were being cleaned. Drinking water mixed with chlorine was being supplied through the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board. Sewage blocks were being removed expeditiously following the release of 253 cusecs of water from the Periyar dam. From Friday, the water supply would be improved.

A solatium of Rs.1 lakh was given from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to Pavithra's family, Mr Stalin said.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/14/stories/2010051454960400.htm

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Tamil Nadu: Viral Dysentery, 6 fatalities.

Woman dies of viral dysentery in Sattur
Madurai bureau
Death toll rises to six in Theni district


VIRUDHUNAGAR: A 45-year-old woman, Subbulakshmi, died of viral dysentery in a village near Sattur on Friday.

Another 26 persons, including over 10 children, were affected in the village due to drinking contaminated water.

The Deputy Director of Health (Sivakasi), S. Balasubramanian, said that the woman of Chinnakollanpatti village, who complained of diarrhoea and vomiting since Thursday night, went to a private hospital for treatment. However, she returned home against medical advice of administering IV fluids to treat her for dehydration.

Later, she died the next morning. A medical team rushed to the village after five more persons had similar complaints. ?Our team found that the open well at Uppathur, which is the source of drinking water, was highly contaminated and it had not been chlorinated for several months. The water sample has been sent for testing,? he said.

Meanwhile, the medical team provided treatment to all the 21 persons, who complained of diarrhoea, on Friday. Other persons in the village were also treated as a precautionary measure, Dr. Balasubramanian said.

The Deputy Director said that a total of 26 patients were under the constant monitoring of the medical team.

Two ambulances have been parked in the village so that the patients could be rushed to the Government Hospital in Sattur. A paediatrician will be available round-the-clock at the GH.

Theni

The toll due to water-borne diseases in Theni district rose to six with the death of one more person at Theni Government Medical College Hospital on Friday night.

The deceased was Shahul Hameed (45), a resident of Uthamapalayam.

He was admitted to Uthamapalayam Government Hospital for treatment of suspected cholera two days ago, where doctors advised him to go home after treatment, said his relatives. Suddenly, he had diarrhoea on Friday.

When his relatives admitted him to Uthamapalayam hospital, doctors referred him to Theni Medical College Hospital for treatment, where he died.

The Director of Public Health, R.T. Porkai Pandian, during his recent visit to Theni, admitted that 600 to 700 people were affected by water-borne diseases and one out of the five recent deaths in the district was due to cholera. A seven-year-old girl died of cholera.

Residents of Bodi, Uthamapalayam, Cumbum and Chinnamanur were the worst affected by the outbreak of water-borne diseases.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/23/stories/2010052360920300.htm

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Tamil Nadu: Viral Dysentery, 6 fatalities.

Four of these fatalities have been attributed to cholera in this thread;
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146180

 

[alert]

Re: Tamil Nadu: Viral Dysentery, 6 fatalities.

Cholera is bacterial, not viral. The term "viral dysentery" is extremely unorthodox, and in this instance, incorrect. I think they are using the word "viral" when they mean "acute".

And technically, cholera is not dysentery at all. That is why the periodic ProMED bulletins are called "Cholera, diarrhea, and dysentery" updates.

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Tamil Nadu: Viral Dysentery, 6 fatalities.

There could be a combination of illnesses at work, Cholera has been confirmed in four fatal cases, but not confirmed yet for the patients in #2. What struck me about #2 is the implication that more than one waterborne illness is at work. The 45 yo man was treated for suspected cholera 2 days earlier and sent home.

Viral dysentery is not unheard of, although it may be less common than bacterial or amoebic dysentery.
"viral dysentery dysentery caused by a virus, occurring in epidemics and marked by acute watery diarrhea."
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/viral+dysentery

 

[alert]

Re: Tamil Nadu: Viral Dysentery, 6 fatalities.

There could be a combination of illnesses at work, Cholera has been confirmed in four fatal cases, but not confirmed yet for the patients in #2. What struck me about #2 is the implication that more than one waterborne illness is at work. The 45 yo man was treated for suspected cholera 2 days earlier and sent home.

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/viral+dysentery

I fully agree. Cholera often spreads as a result of fecal contamination in water supplies, and once that happens, other bacteria and viruses often spread as well. Post #2 does refer to the water as "highly contaminated".