Laboratory test confirms cholera cases in Hassan

To prevent the disease from spreading, health officials are providing chlorinated water to residents at Mallayappanakoppalu village, where the cases were reported. Besides, every household has been given halogen tablets — one tablet for one litre of water — that would make water safe for drinking, said Dr S Bheeshmachari, Hassan district health officer (DHO).

He said the people of the village fell ill after drinking water contaminated with faeces. While 25 people are being treated at the district hospital, seven are admitted to Arsikere taluk hospital and 10 to a private hospital. He said the health department would bear the treatment cost of the 10 people admitted to the private hospital. While Sunday’s incident may be the first instance of cholera deaths in the State this year, other districts are taking precautions to prevent the outbreak of the disease.

Gulbarga reported one cholera case last month. “In February-March, we circulated information to gram panchayats to chlorinate all tanks and repair leakages in water pipelines, said Dr Nalini Namoshi, DHO, Gulbarga.

In Bidar, no cholera cases have been officially reported so far, but eight to 10 gastroenteritis cases have turned up at hospitals.

DHO Dr Marthand Kashampurkar said halogen tablets were distributed in areas hit by gastroenteritis.

“In some villages, we have asked the authorities to replace water pipelines,” he said.