Diarrhea claims two lives in S. Sumatra

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: The diarrhea outbreak in Pegayut, Ogan Komering Ilir, some 10 kilometers south of Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra, has claimed two lives.

Milasari, 3, and Dewi Ranti, 2, died last week after suffering diarrhea for nearly a week.

As of Monday, the diarrhea has reportedly affected around 120 people, mostly children, after locals consumed water from a river flowing through the village following the prolonged drought. Some of the patients are still undergoing intensive care in hospitals in Palembang while another group is on an out-patient basis at a public heath center in the subdistrict town of Pemulutan.

The head of the local health office, Syahrul Muhammad, said his office had set up a 24-hour post in the village to provide medical aid for infected residents.

"Besides deploying tankers to supply clean water to villages in the Ogan Komering Ilir regency, we have launched a campaign on the use of clean water to avoid more victims," he said. --JP