CHENNAI: There has been an increase in the number of patients from the suburbs being admitted with acute diarrhoeal disorder at the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondiarpet. Health authorities said the situation was not alarming, as only six persons from different areas have been confirmed to be suffering from cholera.

In the last three days, 64 persons from the suburban areas, including West Tambaram, Ponneri and Thiruvottiyur have been brought to the Corporation-run hospital with symptoms of diarrhoea. This includes nine children from a care centre in West Tambaram.

There has been a scare, especially in suburban areas that water-borne diseases may spread in the aftermath of the severe floods.

The number of cases in the city is 42. Health officials say they normally get around 15 cases during this season and since they came from different parts of the city, there was no report of any outbreak.

Preventive measures

Municipal health authorities of various suburbs have taken preventive measures. Tambaram health officials, upon knowing the breakout in the orphanage on Monday, cleaned the premises and sprayed disinfectants.

They also undertook fogging operations in the drains adjoining the orphanage.

They suspect that consumption of stale food might have caused diarrhoea and vomiting. About 50 kg of rotten vegetables were destroyed.

Though the managers of the home were not available for comment on Wednesday, caretakers said all but one child had returned to the premises.

Health officials have issued several statements during the recent rains urging residents to boil water before consuming and take only freshly prepared food.

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