KARACHI: Patients are still reporting gastroenteritis, though not in large numbers, at private and public sector healthcare facilities in and around the Sheedi Goth area of Malir, it emerged on Thursday.

They blamed the lack of government measures in effectively addressing the root cause — water contamination — that’s making people ill.

So far, according to the health department, a total of 327 cases of acute watery diarrhoea have been reported with one mortality in nine days in Sheedi Goth.

Speaking to Dawn, District Health Officer Malir Dr Muhammad Jamil Mughal claimed that the situation had been brought under control, though 15 to 20 cases were still being reported at government-run healthcare facilities located in the area.

“These numbers (of gastroenteritis cases) are a routine matter on hot summer days. You would find a similar number of cases or even higher number reporting with diarrhoeal complaints at healthcare facilities in other parts of Karachi as well during this time of the year,” he explained, adding that water contamination was responsible for the disease outbreak.

DHO blames water contamination for the chronic health crisis

“We have done our bit. It’s the responsibility of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to supply clean water to all residents,” he said.

Asked about loss of life in the outbreak, Dr Mughal said that only one death was on record.

“The deceased woman (with recent history of frequent loose motions and vomiting) was brought dead to the Memon Goth Government Hospital. Hence, we can’t say she died of cholera or any other illness,” he said.

Earlier, the authorities had found the water samples collected from the area contaminated with E.coli (a large and diverse group of bacteria) and Vibrio cholera (the bacteria causing the highly contagious diarrhoeal disease of cholera).

Official data shows that only three patients have so far tested positive for cholera. The rest seemed to have been infected by harmful E.coli causing acute diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2023