Over the last eight days, the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) reported 9,844 diarrhoea cases as 1,250 patients stream into the cholera hospital every day on average.
The hospital was thronged by patients, mostly adults, on Tuesday as well, registering as many as 910 cases in 16 hours until 4:00 pm, reports bdnews24.com.
“Suraiya”, a 2-year-old, was rushed to the hospital around 2:30 pm from Moghbazar. As the dehydrated child was unable to even open her eyes, her mother wept beside her while Suraiya was being given saline.
Suraiya’s father Miraz Hossain said, “Both my children were struggling with diarrhoea. They somewhat felt better after being given oral saline from a local store and spent the night in peace. But Suraiya’s condition deteriorated in the morning as her stomach gave in again and was unable to stay on her feet anymore.”
Halima Begum from Hazaribagh’s Company Ghat was being treated in a makeshift emergency ward built in a tent.
Halima’s husband Anwar Hossain said she had some cold whey from a store beside their home on March 27 afternoon and diarrhoea, including vomiting, began in the evening.
“It was a mistake to eat outside. The diarrhoea was not so bad on Monday but her condition declined in the morning today. So I brought her here around 11 am today.”
Shamsul Haque rushed his friend shopkeeper Alamgir, a resident of Manda, to icddr,b.
“Alamgir had a Singara from a restaurant near his shop on Monday afternoon and his stomach began aching that night. His stomach gave in in the morning and I brought him to the hospital.”
“He was puking as well.”
Another patient Shahabuddin arrived at the hospital around 1 pm on Tuesday. His cousin Saddam Hossain said Shahabuddin has been struggling with stomachache, diarrhoea and vomiting since then and medicines were of no use.
“He lives alone at home. I found him in distress there. His face was pale due to the loose bowel movements. So I rushed him here.”
The icddr,b says diarrhoea cases go up every two years, but the spike this year is unprecedented. Physicians say people consuming unhealthy food and water outdoors without proper awareness is causing the issue.
An icddr,b doctor on Monday said they predicted the cooler weather over the past couple of days would reduce the number of patients. But the scenario was quite contrasting.
“We’re discussing the matter. The diarrhoea outbreak usually peaks for five-six days and then gradually goes down. Rains over the past two days have brought the temperature down, so we thought the number of patients, too, will go down. But instead, it went up.”
“It is possible to prevent diarrhoea if people stay aware. Most of the patients arriving here are eating outdoors, drinking unsafe water…”