Cholera outbreak confirmed in Birgunj’s Murli settlement

Cholera cases have been confirmed in Murli, a new settlement area of Birgunj Metropolitan City-12. Teams from Birgunj Metropolitan City, Parsa Health Office, and other agencies have been mobilized since Friday night.

Mayor Rajeshman Singh said health workers were immediately sent to the affected area after learning about the cases. According to Birgunj Metropolitan City, more than 30 people from Murli suffered from diarrhea and were admitted to Terai Hospital at the same time.

The hospital informed the metropolitan office after receiving a large number of patients. During tests carried out with Narayani Hospital and Parsa Health Office, cholera bacteria were confirmed in three patients.

Health branch chief Raju Shah said three patients were infected, including a 16-year-old boy, a 24-year-old man, and a 24-year-old woman. The teenager’s condition is said to be serious.

Samples of drinking water used in Murli households have been sent to a Teku-based laboratory in Kathmandu for further testing. Since Friday night, health workers have been visiting homes to spread awareness and prevent the spread of the disease.

Public health officer Jaymod Thakur said this is the first outbreak of cholera in Birgunj in the past 10 years.

Mayor Singh urged people not to take the disease lightly as cholera is a serious infectious illness. Narayani Hospital spokesperson Dr. Udaynarayan Singh also confirmed that patients with severe diarrhea are being treated in the hospital’s emergency department.