47 BMCRI hostel students treated for suspected cholera

Bengaluru: Several students at the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) girls’ hostel were admitted to Victoria Hospital on Friday. Students have alleged it was due to a potential cholera outbreak.

The hospital administration released a statement confirming that the 47 students are undergoing treatment; 28 are in the trauma care centre, 15 in the 'H' Block, and four are under observation in the ICU.

"All have presented with loose stool and dehydration. They have been diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis. They are all stable," said Dr Ramesh Krishna K, Dean and Director, BMCRI.

He said all the admitted students are being administered antibiotics and IV fluids, while the administration is awaiting the report to either confirm or deny the incidents of cholera.

Videos emerge from hostel

But BMCRI’s PG students claimed that over 80 girls have been admitted and they are facing a potential cholera outbreak. They shared photographs and videos of the hostel to highlight its poor administration leading to food and water contamination.

They shared a hospital test report indicating a positive result for Vibrio cholerae in a hanging drop test of a stool sample. Vibrio cholerae is a bacterium found in contaminated water or food that can lead to cholera upon ingestion. However, the presence of this bacterium in the sample is yet to be confirmed by a culture report. Students have been advised to refrain from consuming water provided at the hostel until cholera is ruled out.

Data from the state health department revealed that Bengaluru BBMP limits and the two districts of Bengaluru Urban and Ramanagara have seen only six confirmed cases of cholera since January.