BIRGUNJ: Cholera has begun spreading at the community level across Birgunj Metropolitan City, though health authorities have yet to identify the source of the outbreak. Cases have been reported in multiple wards since last Friday.
According to Jaymod Thakur, Public Health Officer at the Parsa Health Office, 79 cholera-infected patients have been identified in Birgunj so far.
“As of Sunday evening 8:00 pm, 71 cases were confirmed, and by Monday morning, an additional eight cases were reported,” Thakur said.
Currently, 103 patients are receiving treatment in various hospitals. “The primary source of the outbreak has not yet been identified,” he added. “Representatives from the World Health Organization have been conducting water testing and other assessments since Sunday, and we hope to identify the source soon.”
Dr. Uday Narayan Singh, spokesperson for Narayani Hospital, Birgunj, reported that 30 patients were admitted to the hospital as of Sunday.
“We are facing shortages in both beds and medical personnel for cholera treatment,” Singh said. “No agency has yet provided the necessary support on the ground; most assistance has been limited to paperwork. The staff currently available are overworked, managing not only this outbreak but also other patient emergencies such as snakebites, fevers, and paralysis cases.”
He added that WHO representatives are carrying out water testing, and preliminary reports on the cholera source may be released soon.
At Narayani Hospital, 26 patients tested positive for cholera. Tarai Hospital reported 25 cases, National Medical College nine, and Bhawani Hospital three. Meanwhile, eight patients were confirmed at Birgunj Health Care, Ali Arth Hospital, and Manglam Pathology, with two cases each. An additional eight patients were reported on Monday morning, though the specific hospitals have not yet been disclosed.
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