107 hospitalized for diarrhea

107 hospitalized for diarrhea

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: One hundred and seven residents
of the Katobu district, Muna regency, were treated for diarrhea
during an outbreak which started last week.

No fatalities were reported and doctors have released most of
the patients.

The Antara news agency quoted Mohammad Ali, head of the local
Ministry of Health office, as saying yesterday that the disease
spread because most of the water sources in the area had been
contaminated during recent floods.

Ali said no deaths occurred because a team of medical workers
were promptly sent to treat the patients and contain the spread
of the disease.

"Let's not talk about days...a diarrhea patient, unless given
proper medical or traditional treatment, can die of dehydration
within hours," he said. (swe)