THATTA: A sudden surge in gastroenteritis was reported from two villages located near Mirpur Sakro as 23 patients were rushed to the emergency unit of the nearby Sheikh Zayed Hospital within the last two days. Two of the victims died, sources at the health facility told Dawn on Saturday evening.

They said that the deceased patients, Mehnaz, wife of Atta Mohammed Lashari, and four-year-old Rustam, son of Sikandar, were among 16 patients brought to the hospital from Sahib Khan village with complaints relating to gastroenteritis.

Seven other such patients taken to the hospital belonged to the adjacent Numman Mallah village, they added.

According to the sources, most of the patients were women and children.

A social worker of the area, Mansoor Lashari, said that doctors, paramedics, patients and some other residents of the district he spoke to expressed the view that contaminated water and extremely hot weather conditions prevailing in the province over the last few weeks were responsible for a rise in gastro cases.

When contacted, Thatta district health officer chose not to share information about measures to be taken to prevent an outbreak.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2017