HOSHIARPUR CHOLERA TOLL MOUNTS TO FOUR

HOSHIARPUR: Politics has heated up over the cholera outbreak in Hoshiarpur. On Wednesday, local Congress MLA and industries minister Sunder Sham Arora announced that an inquiry will be initiated into the alleged irregularities and negligence of the municipal authorities, which led to the outbreak.

On the other hand, Union minister of state Vijay Sampla has alleged that medicines are unavailable to patients at the hospitals.

By Wednesday evening, around 625 patients have reported at the civil hospital with cholera symptoms and at least 20 patients have been tested positive for cholera.

Civil surgeon Dr Renu Sood said, “Four patients have died due to cholera. Two other deaths are also being attributed to the disease, but the cause is yet to be ascertained.”

District epidemiologist Dr Sailesh Kumar said that all 20 samples of water sent for chemical examination have failed the potability test.

The samples were collected from Kamalpur, Subhash Nagar and Labh Nagar. “The report has confirmed traces of sewer water in the samples of water being supplied to people for drinking purpose,” he said.

An 11-year old girl, Vishakha, of Fatehgarh, was admitted at the civil hospital on Tuesday but was sent home after medication. Her parents revealed that in the night her condition worsened and she was rushed to a private hospital where she died on Wednesday morning.