2 die of cholera after drinking dirty water at building site

Two construction workers died of cholera and at least 20 others took ill after drinking contaminated water at an under-construction luxury apartment complex in Southeast Bengaluru's Varthur on Friday morning.

The workers complained of uneasiness within minutes of consuming the water at the building site of Sobha Dreamacres. One of them was brought dead to St John's hospital on Hosur Road while another died in the ICU. One of the victims was identified as Srikant Sahu (20), from Assam. He lived in a makeshift shed near the building site. The other labourers are recovering.

According to Dr Sanjeev Lewin, the medical superintendent of the hospital, over 20 people were brought to the healthcare facility. They complained of diarrhoea. An examination confirmed they had cholera. A few were discharged while others are still recovering. One person has been admitted to the intensive therapy unit (ITU), he added.

Dr Lewin said it was shocking that people continued to be infected with cholera to this day. Cholera cases have declined considerably over the past few years. According to him, the drinking water supplied to the workers at the building site was probably contaminated with sewage water.

BBMP health officer Dr Kalpana said they had issued a notice to Sobha, the company that is building Sobha Dream Acres. The Varthur police have booked the builder for the incident.

DH News Service