Diarrhea epidemic kills scores in Nepal

Published: July 14, 2009 at 6:58 AM

KATHMANDU, Nepal, July 14 (UPI) -- Nepalese health experts were trying to contain a diarrhea epidemic in the western region, where more than 100 have already died.

A BBC report said at least 6,000 have been affected in the Jajarkot district and neighboring areas, and critics complain the government has been slow to respond to the situation even though the epidemic was first reported in mid-June.

Jajarkot is about 200 miles west of Kathmandu.

China's Xinhua news agency, citing local media reports, quoted Dr. Senendra Upreti, director of Nepalese health department's epidemiology and disease control division, as blaming hazardous and contaminated water for the epidemic.

A medical team from Kathmandu has already arrived in Jajarkot district, the Xinhua report said.

Army helicopters have been pressed into service.

The BBC reported many of those affected by the disease live in remote villages in the rugged Himalayan country. Some of their villages can be reached only on foot.

The villagers said water taps for safe drinking water had dried up, leaving them no option other than to drink contaminated water from streams and wells.

© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
Canadian Tire reins in use of its 'money' (4 min)
Crude prices up Friday morning (10 min)
China showing economic strength (29 min)
China Nov. trade surplus at $19B
Watercooler Stories
Jockstrip: The world as we know it.
Your Daily Horoscope
fark
Non-Muslim Swiss man turns his chimney into a minaret to protest the recent decision by voters
Okay mac, just gimme all your corduroy jackets with missing buttons, out-of-style belts, 10-year...
Guttenberg makes surprise trip to Afghanistan. My, he certainly is the movable type
Two kids sick after smoking incense, which they thought was smoking over-the-counter fake pot. Tea...
Shelbyville woman arrested for riding horse in Christmas parade while drunk. Duff cans have not...
Random drugs tests are to be introduced to the World Pie Eating Championships. About time, too