NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, Sept 3: More than 1,000 people have fallen ill as gastroenteritis broke out in Moro taluka, including Moro town and Daulatpur taluka.

These patients belong to New Gachero, Old Gachero, Laghari Bijarani, and Mohammad Bux Laghari villages.

Provincial health minister, Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani, taking immediate notice of the situation, has declared emergency in all hospitals of Naushahro Feroz and Nawabshah and at the taluka hospital, Shahpur.

He ordered all doctors to remain on duty and directed special assistant to the chief minister, Abdul Rauf, to monitor and report him about the situation.

Mr Qaimkhani also gave instructions to send medicines and two ambulances from Hyderabad to the effected areas.

The Medical Superintendent of the Moro taluka hospital, Dr Mohammad Saleh Almani, said that 98 patients were still under treatment and more patients were coming to the hospital.

He termed the disease viral and said that people were asked not to consume any rotten eatable and were advised to take boiled water.

The medical superintendent said that there was a shortage of medicines in the hospital and he had requested philanthropists of the area to arrange medicines for the infected.

Talking to Dawn, Dr Abdul Razzaq Shahi said that several patients were discharged from the hospital after being cured.

He said most of the patients had fallen ill at the Shahpur Jehanian fair where they took sweets and drank water.

Naushahro Feroze District Coordination Officer Nazar Mohammad Kalhoro and Executive District Officer for health Mir Irshad Talpur met with the patients and provided medicines to the hospital to meet the emergency.

Mr Talpur said that gastro-enteritis was spread from a fair where people took putrid fruits, different dishes, sweets and water.

He said that this time the fair continued for 10 days which used to be held for three days in the past.

He said the fair was ultimately brought to an end with the help of Naushahro Feroze and Nawabshah DCOs.

The EDO said that 350 patients were treated at the taluka hospital, Gachero government dispensaries, Ahmedani Laghari of Katcha area and Khan Bungal Burdi dispensary.

Dr Ali Nawaz Khoso, the EDO health, Nawabshah, said that 150 patients were still under treatment at the government health centres of Shahpur Jehanian and Daulatpur.

The two EDOs, however, denied death of any patient.