Severe gastroenteritis outbreak triggers health emergency in Pakistan's Karachi

Islamabad, Oct 29 (IANS) In a growing health concern in Pakistan, a severe gastroenteritis outbreak has claimed nine lives on the outskirts of Karachi, prompting the Pakistani government to declare a health emergency in the affected areas and nearby Malir district.

The deceased were identified as residents of Faiz Muhammad Burro Goth near Bahria Town Karachi, located within the territorial jurisdiction of Thana Bola Khan region in Jamshoro district

Confirming the deaths, Sindh Health Minister Azra Fazal Pechuho, said in a video statement that preliminary findings indicated the outbreak occurred after several people attending a funeral more than a week ago, consumed contaminated water and food, leading to widespread illness.

“A medical camp has been functioning in the area for a week, while 24-hour emergency services are now available at three local hospitals. Mobile hospital vans are operational, providing basic laboratory and medical services to patients,” Pakistani daily Dawn quoted Pechuho as saying.

The Minister further said that the District Health Officers (DHOs) were overseeing the situation with Rescue 1122 ambulance service had been put on alert.

In his remarks, Malir DHO Imdad Channa noted that while the outbreak was centered in Jamshoro district, hospitals in nearby areas had also been placed on high alert.

“Government hospitals in Jamshoro, Dumba Goth (Gadap) and Murad Memon Goth (Malir) are on high alert. The situation is now under control,” he said, adding that residents of the affected village were using water from an open underground tank for daily consumption.

Experts describe gastroenteritis as an intestinal infection characterised by signs and symptoms including watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea or vomiting, and sometimes fever, often caused by contact with an infected person or by consuming contaminated food or water.

Reports suggest that earlier in 2023, a woman in a Malir village died of gastroenteritis and left hundreds across the city ill due to the infection.

Meanwhile, experts reckon that the outbreak was likely caused by the consumption of contaminated food and water, coupled with the unhygienic conditions that followed animal slaughter across the city during Eid al-Azha.

Citing sources, leading Pakistani daily Dawn reported that more than 4,200 patients had sought treatment in Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi and The Indus Hospital within a week, amid a gastroenteritis outbreak in Malir district.

--IANS

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