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Diarrhoea outbreak in village near Madurai

Shastry V Mallady

Some people have cholera symptoms

MADURAI: The first major outbreak of summer diseases in Madurai district was reported from Vadapalanji panchayat on Tuesday with nearly 30 patients from Vellaparaipatti sent to hospital for acute diarrhoea.

Nearly 40 villagers, including 10 children, are being treated for diarrhoea. Some of them have been admitted to the Cholera Collection Centre at Thoppur near here and another government hospital.

Health Department officials told The Hindu that the village, situated near Nagamalai Pudukottai, was being closely monitored and medical teams were sent to provide treatment.

The Deputy Director of Health Services, S. Shanmugasundaram, who visited the village, said diarrhoea was common during summer because of excess heat conditions and doctors serving in primary health centres were alerted to respond to any report of outbreak.

He said cholera tests would be undertaken as a precautionary measure and treatment given based on medical reports.

While a large stock of antibiotics was rushed to the PHC, the Health Department ordered chlorination of water tank in Vellaparaipatti to provide safe drinking water.

First case this summer

S. Chandrasekar, Medical Officer in-charge, Cholera Collection Centre, said this was the first major case reported this summer. Samples would be sent to the Microbiology Department in Madurai Medical College on Wednesday for cholera tests.

Even as the health personnel were deputed to the village, the local people said that several persons were complaining of stomach pain for the past few days and water contamination was feared in the area.

Volunteers from voluntary organisations were also involved in creating an awareness of drinking only boiled water.

Villagers said people were showing cholera symptoms in the past few days even as health officials maintained that they would not declare anything till the test results were available.

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