Batticaloa fears cholera epidemic

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 September 1998, 15:57 GMT]
Batticaloa might be on the verge of being hit by a severe epidemic of Cholera said a public health official in the eastern district today.

Sixteen patients suspected to be suffering from Cholera were admitted to hospitals in the district today.

Ten of these were admitted to the Valaichenai hospital, 3 to the Eravur hospital and another three to the Batticaloa general hospital during the course of the day the health official said.

A special ward has been opened in the Batticaloa hospital to deal with the situation.

Three field labourers in Kirankulam south of Batticaloa who had returned from the Polannaruwa district were the first to be detected with the disease.

The other patients were also field labourers who had been to the Polannaruwa area which has been hit by the epidemic.

Three Cholera patients died at the Welikanda hospital yesterday.

The public health authorities in Batticaloa have set up a quarantine camp at the Ottamavadi bridge, 36 kilometres north of Batticaloa to check all civilians travelling to Batticaloa.

All passengers who have drunk water or taken meals in Welikanda or Polannaruwa are being treated and those detected with symptoms of cholera are being quarantined said medical authorities.