The capital is witnessing a diarrhea outbreak, with 268 people, mostly adults, hospitalised with the disease over an 8-hour period till Sunday 8AM, according to the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b). icddr,b also reports as many as 1250 patients received treatment for the disease on Saturday (over 24 hrs), while the number was 1138 on Friday. Read: Canadian envoy lauds icddr,b’s research works, innovations The worst affected areas are Jatrabari, Dakkhin Khan, Badda and Shanir Akhra in the city. This year, over 1200 people have been found infected with the disease. Some 5 percent of those hospitalised in recent days have been found to be children.  The number of diarrhea patients usually rises in the pre- monsoon or pre-winter periods, but this year the number of cases is higher, said AKM Tariful Islam Khan, public relations officer of icddr,b. However, many patients with severe diarrhea are being admitted to icddr,b every day and they got discharged from the hospital after getting stable.  During a recent visit, physicians were found struggling to provide medical treatment to the patients. Recent instances of diarrhea outbreak in Bangladesh occurred in 2018 and 2007,  as over 1200 people were found infected with the virus. Read: icddr,b lab opens sample collection centre in Uttara Diarrheal disease is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old, and is responsible for killing around 525 000 children every year.  Diarrhea can last several days, leave the body without the water and salts that are necessary for survival.

As many as 160 people have been admitted to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital hospitalised after being afflicted with diarrhea in past two days, hospital sources said on Friday. Of them, 110 patients are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital. The worst affected areas are Hamdoh, Kanchanpur and Mollapara of the district. Authorities are struggling to prove hospital beds as the number of patients has witnessed a sudden jump, the sources added. Also read: Dengue kills 2 more in Bangladesh, 177 patients hospitalised Jewel of Alhera Para in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila said three members of his family have been taken to hospital with diarrhea. Sonali, a resident of Khandakar Para, her daughter has also been down with the water-borne disease, followed by her husband. Residential Medical Officer of Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital Dr Tapas Kumar said the affected are mostly elderly people. Read: Bangladesh logs another 7 Covid-linked deaths, 247 fresh infections He said shortage of doctors and nurses are hampering treatment of patients. Hospital superintendent Dr Harunur Rashid, however, said the patients are getting proper treatment as the hospital has no problem with medicines.  The situation will soon come under control, he said.