KARACHI, May 31: According to the Sindh Health Department, six persons died while over 11,000 were hospitalised and over 35,000 reported in OPDs of different hospitals of the province for gastroenteritis and diarrhoea during the last five weeks.

Independent sources, however, insist that the actual number of casualties and hospitalisations was much higher.

The Focal Person on Gastroenteritis, Government of Sindh, Shakeel Malik, termed the use of contaminated water the main cause of the rise in gastro cases.

He said that unless people were provided with clean drinking water gastroenteritis would keep recurring every summer.

Mr Malik mentioned that contaminated water of Manchar and other lakes was the main reason behind gastroenteritis and diarrhoea in Sindh.

It may be remembered that on May 10 Sindh Senior Minister for Health, Syed Sardar Ahmad, had mentioned that daily 1,600 cases of gastro were being reported in OPDs of various hospitals across the province.—PPI