December 15, 2006	Friday	Ziqa'ad 23, 1427

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PESHAWAR, Dec 14: The number of patients in the quake-hit areas of the NWFP has increased during the current winter, says a report prepared by the World Health Organisation.

“Of the 120,000 patients who visited doctors in the area, 22 per cent suffered from chest infection, eight per cent from acute watery diarrhoea and seven per cent from fever,” said the WHO report for November.

It said severe cold and rains had put the children under five years of age at the risk of falling victim to acute respiratory infections (ARI).

About 31 per cent children in this age group suffered from ARI, whereas the percentage of children above five years of suffering from ARI is 19.

It said that during the month, 10 deaths were reported in hospitals in the quake-affected areas.According to the report, there had been six suspected patients of meningitis.

It said there was an increase in chest-related infections among children due to unrelenting cold.

The report said that about 78 suspected cases of hepatitis and 794 of malaria were reported. Two suspected cases of measles were also reported.

The WHO has alerted its staff in the quake-hit districts to cope with the situation.

It said the provincial government had also been asked to pay attention to the situation.

The agency said it had sought details of reported death of six children of pneumonia during the past week.