Ward no 15 of Kasturba Hospital, the city’s only infectious disease hospital, has been reserved for cholera, severe diarrhoea and hepatitis patients.
While the municipal corporation has kept mum about the cholera cases in the city, patients testing positive for the infectious disease and being admitted to Kasturba Hospital are increasing.
Ward no 15 of Kasturba Hospital, the city’s only infectious disease hospital, has been reserved for cholera, severe diarrhoea and hepatitis patients.
According to a nurse in charge of the ward, 60% of the patients in the ward has tested positive for hanging drop test, the primary test for cholera.
Ismail Kazi, 60, was tested positive for cholera on Saturday. “I had severe stomach cramps, vomiting and loose motions. I was first taken to Noor Hospital. But after the hanging drop test was positive, I was shifted to Kasturba hospital,” he said.
DNA has a copy of the case papers of the patients.
Most of the cholera positive patients in Kasturba Hospital are from Byculla, Bhendi Bazaar areas and Bandra.
Dr Daksha Shah, head of epidemiology cell, Kasturba Hospital, refuted: “We don’t have any patients who have tested positive for hanging drop test.”
Kasturba Hospital doctors said they are not cases of classic cholera but the rising number of positive cases of hanging drop is definitely a matter of concern.
“None of these cases are classic cholera, which is deadly. Many times, the mild cholera goes undetected as they are not tested. But a majority of cases in the out-patient department is of stomach ailments. Byculla and Mohammed Ali Road, Bandra, Kurla are the worst-affected areas,” said the doctor.
While there is a rising number of cholera and severe diarrhoea cases, the hospital’s infrastructure is not able to handle the load.
“Seventy-two patients have severe diarrhoea symptoms. The ward has only two toilets,” said Arif Sheikh, 25, a Byculla resident admitted to hospital on Saturday.
Dr Amit Maydeo, consulting gastroenterologist from Breach Candy Hospital, said: “In mild cholera, the strain of the bacterium vibrio cholerae are milder and releases lesser toxic material in the body. In classic cholera, the patient loses 10 to 20 litres of fluid. If there are sporadic cases of mild or classic cholera reported in any part of the city, the administration needs to control it as both are infectious.”
City doctors say they are seeing more cases of stomach flu orviral gastroenteritis, in which patients suffer from loose motions, severe abdominal pain and nausea for a prolonged period of three days to a week. “There is definitely a rise in intestinal infection. Cases of diarrhoea and gastroenteritis are also on the rise,” said Dr Maydeo.
Manisha Mhaiskar, additional municipal commissioner (health department) did not respond to text message from DNA.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}