KARACHI, July 2: About 730 people of different age groups were rushed to various Karachi public-sector hospitals for the treatment of gastroenteritis or diarrhoea during the 24 hours ending at noon on Monday, said an official of the Sindh health department.

Of these, 60 patients were admitted for treatment while the rest were discharged after initial treatment at the Civil Hospital Karachi, Lyari General Hospital and various CDGK health care units.

This figure does not include patients taken to private hospitals and clinics or those attended to by quacks.

An estimated 2,000 people a day are affected by viral or bacterial infections in the wake of water contamination, poor sanitation and unhygienic practices in the city. The number of patients has increased after the June 23 rains.

The health department official told Dawn that 97 cases of diarrhoea and vomiting were received at the Government Qatar Hospital in Orangi town, where four patients were retained for comprehensive treatment. Civil Hospital Karachi received 71 diarrhoea sufferers.

The National Institute of Child Health (NICH), which is not included in the Sindh health department’s list, receives about 200 patients a day, most of whom are from the Korangi area and various slums. “On Sunday, we needed about 300 drips for children between two months and five years old,” said a doctor.

Dr Mahesh Kumar from the NICH emergency department said that his station received at least 40 patients between 3pm and 8pm on Sunday, while another doctor told Dawn that about 40 patients were admitted to the NICH diarrhoea treatment unit on Monday morning.