Eight dies, thousands hospitalized

Diarrhoea outbreak in the Barisal division has become severe with eight deaths and thousands hospitalized across six districts. Already 18 out of the 40 upazilas under 6 districts of Barisal division are suffering from a diarrhoea crisis. Health officials of Barisal district termed water pollution as cause for this situation.

They have confirmed that an investigation team sent by the IEDCR has found E coli (Escherichia coli) bacterium in the stool of the patients that causes cholera-like illness, and acute diarrhoea.

Meanwhile, as the situation is deteriorating drastically, the markets have run out of Inter Venus (IV) Fluid stocks.

Dhaka Tribune learned that the medical services are being disrupted due to insufficient supply of this crucial saline (IV Drip) at the government level. According to the Barisal Divisional Health Office, a total of 32,183 people have been infected with diarrhoea in the last three months in six districts of the division.

In the last one month, 17,672 people have been infected. And, in the last one week, an average of 1,100 patients were admitted to hospitals every day. But now, more than 1500  patients were admitted in a span of 24 hours.

Bhola district faced the brunt of the crisis as the district witnessed 8,090 hospital admissions from the beginning of the year till Wednesday. The number was 4,252 in the last month alone.

Of the infected  patients, four died in Bakerganj, two in Barguna, and two in Patuakhali in the last one week, the Divisional Health Office confirmed.