Date:12/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/12/stories/2008121254640600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Two more in hospital for diarrhoea

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: Two more persons, who complained of vomiting and diarrhoea from Zion Street, Mannurpet, have been admitted to the Communicable Diseases Hospital (CDH) in Tondiarpet on Wednesday.

Ambattur municipal officials said they are parents of an 18-year-old boy, Manikandan, who was admitted to the Padi municipal health post on Tuesday. Of the 11 patients who complained of acute diarrhoeal disorder on Tuesday, six have been discharged, including those from Korattur and Reddipayalam, on Wednesday.

A nine-year-old girl, who was treated at the Padi health post of the Ambattur Municipality, was also discharged, they said. An Ambattur municipal official said the post-mortem report of Shantha Kumar, who died on Monday night at Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, said the cause of death was massive splenomegaly.

Besides Shanthi and Appuraj of Bhajanai Koil Street, Padi, undergoing treatment in the CDH for mild dehydration, three patients from Zion Street, Mannurpet, were also affected by acute diarrhoeal disorder on Tuesday, he added. The municipality distributed prophylactic tablets and oral rehydration solution packets to nearly 3,000 residents of Mannurpet and Padi on Wednesday. A medical team was also deployed for the past three days in the areas to monitor the cases.

Meanwhile, residents of Padi and Mannurpet complained that the drinking water supplied was of poor quality even when it was supplied through tankers.

However, municipal officials said they monitored the drinking water supplied to the residents and also checked on the private tanker supply.