A paratyphoid outbreak at Kondotty has found the health authorities at the receiving end. Hundreds of people who attended a wedding reception at Kunnathuparamba, Nediyiruppu, in the Kondotty municipal limits, on March 27 were affected by typhoid.
Health authorities have begun firefighting measures by organising personal hygiene awareness camps and medical camps. A bacterial culturing conducted by the Health Department has found two antibiotics resistant to the bacteria, azithromycin and ciprofloxacin.
“Azithromycin and ciprofloxacin are not effective to counter this epidemic. We are using other antibiotics,” said District Medical Officer V. Ummer Farook.
ADVERTISEMENT
Local people of Kunnathuparamba have formed an action council under the chairmanship of K.P. Firoz, demanding better facilities to counter the outbreak and financial help for the affected families. “This outbreak has affected quite a large number of people in our area, hitting the livelihood of poor families. Many can’t go for work. They need urgent assistance,” said Mr. Firoz.
Secondary infections
Health officials said they were worried about secondary infections as the bacteria were being spread through faecal-oral route.
ADVERTISEMENT
K. Shibulal, Deputy District Medical Officer in charge of public health, said the incubation time of the bacteria made it difficult for them to act and find the source of infection. He said creating awareness among the people was the best way out.
Dr. Farook and Dr. Shibulal said paratyphoid bacteria had a 10-day incubation period compared to typhoid bacteria’s two-week incubation.
1,000 down with fever
About 1,000 people in the region had got fever. Over 200 of them had contracted paratyphoid.
Official figures said 150 had paratyphoid showing symptoms of fever, abdominal pain and vomiting. “It attacks our intestines. Clean water is a must to counter the outbreak,” said Dr. Farook.