Diarrhea affects thousands

Diarrhea affects thousands

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Around 2,800 residents of
Samarinda have been affected by a diarrhea outbreak that hit the
East Kalimantan capital over the past month, Antara reported
yesterday.

Quoting the head of the provincial health office, Dr. H.M.
Nuh, the news agency said some residents were seriously ill and
had to be hospitalized. One patient died.

Nuh called on the residents to avoid food that might be
contaminated by the bacteria that causes diarrhea.

The news agency said that between early July and Aug. 10,
2,400 people sought treatment for diarrhea at 13 health centers
in the region. About 400 had to be treated for severe
dehydration.

Officials at one of the hospitals said most of the affected
were those who lived along the Mahakam and Karang Mumus rivers
and used the water for various purposes.

In 1990, an outbreak of diarrhea hit East Kalimantan and
affected 12,000 people in two weeks. (swe)