Diarrhoea cases surge in capital

There has been an unusual surge in the number of diarrhoea patients in and around Bangladesh capital Dhaka at the very outset of this summer.
This year the number of diarrhoea patients crossed recent records much before the hot season reached its peak.
The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, and the other hospitals in the capital are struggling to grapple with the sudden surge in diarrhoea patients since the beginning of April.
The ICDDR,B at Mohakhali has been flooded with diarrhoea patients, mostly from Jatrabari, Lalbagh, Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Motijheel, Ramna, Uttara, Tejgaon, Keraniganj, Tongi, as well as Gazipur and the other nearby areas, doctors told New Age. 
The diarrhoea patients admitted to the ICDDR,B already crossed the number admitted in any previous summer in last 12 years, doctors said.
The patients admitted to the ICDDR,B are mostly acute dehydrated children below 10.
In the first half of April, ICDDR,B treated 11,751 diarrhoea patients.
On Monday a record number of 918 diarrhoea patients were admitted to the ICDDR,B.
At 4PM on Tuesday, at least 565 diarrhoea patients were admitted to the ICDDR,B.
On Sunday, ICDDR,B admitted 795 patients, 803 on Saturday and 844 on Friday.
On Tuesday, ICDDR,B doctors were seen struggling to cope with an unprecedented flow of patients.
‘One patient arrives in less than every two-minute,’ said a doctor, who was in the group of doctors specially called to tackle the situation.
To cope with the unusual rush of patients the ICDDR,B set up beds even on its lobby, the corridors as well as the study area.
Last year, the highest number of diarrhoea patients admitted in a single day was 808 on April 28, and the number was below 800 on any other single day in the summer of 2018. 
On April 18, 2017, said doctors 613 patients were admitted, which was the highest on a single day that year.
Doctors said that they were surprised to see the sudden spate in diarrhoea incidence at the very beginning of the summer with the temperatures soaring to match a heat wave.
High temperature facilitates the rapid growth of the water borne bacteria, virus or parasites causing diarrhoea. 
Consumption of unsafe water and food help spreading diarrhoea infection during the summer, said doctors.
ICDDR,B hospital chief Dr Azharul Islam expressed the fears that the number of diarrhoea patients could swell further in the coming days.
He told New Age that the unexpected rise in diarrhoea patients even before sweltering summer set in was quite unprecedented.
‘The problem lies with the water supply,’ said Dr Azhar.
In 2007 also, he recalled, the ICDDR,B treated a relatively high number of diarrhoea patients.
Dr Azhar advised people to use only safe water and keep oral rehydration saline at home to provide handy relief to diarrhoea patients.
He also advised the people to strictly avoid stale and uncovered foods and drinks either at home or the waysides.
He said that only warm food should be taken to minimize the risk of diarrhoea infection.
Dr Azhar also advised people to consult doctors in the event of any family member suffering from acute diarrhoea.
He said that the ICDDR,B treats diarrhoea patients free of cost and it never refuses to treat them.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net