The Hindu : Front Page : Cases of cholera shoot up to 30

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Tuesday, May 12, 2009
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Cases of cholera shoot up to 30

reality check: A researcher from NICED interacting with patients at Fever Hospital on Monday.

HYDERABAD: The cholera outbreak in parts of Musheerabad in the city is showing no signs of waning. On Monday, authorities have confirmed that total number of cholera positive cases admitted to Gandhi and Fever Hospitals, has now reached 30.

On Monday, an additional 23 patients with suspected cholera were admitted to Gandhi Hospital from the same area.

Researchers of the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), Kolkata, who are here, too have acknowledged the presence of cholera cases. They have asked doctors to change the antibiotic drug being administered to the patients with another antibiotic, Norfloxacin, which is known for its effectiveness against Vibrio Cholarae, the bacterium causing cholera.

Gandhi Hospital Superintendent Dr. M. Narsing Rao maintained that preliminary tests of 60 samples have revealed 14 persons, mostly from Bholakpur, as cholera positive.

“We can make a final confirmation in another week only when we receive the full report from NICED,” he said.

Earlier on Saturday, the government had confirmed 16 cholera positive cases out of which 12 were from Fever Hospital and the rest from the Gandhi Hospital. Till now, Gandhi Hospital doctors used to administer the antibiotic, Cotrimoxizol, both to children and adults admitted from Bholakpur, but they did not show any improvement.

Now, a group of top doctors, including NICED researchers, has decided that ‘Norfloxacin’ was the best drug to cure the patients.

Research studies

The NICED researchers have done a series of landmark research studies on Norfloxacin and the drug is effective in reducing stool output, duration of diarrhoea, fluid requirements and above all Vibrio secretions.

Meanwhile, top officials including Principal Secretary of Health L. V. Subramaniam, Water Board MD Ashok Kumar, GHMC Special Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu visited several reservoirs and slums to enquire about the problems of the public.

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