Diarrhea hits Kupang

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: At least three people have died and 17 others have been hospitalized as diarrhea hit Oekabiti subdistrict, officials said yesterday.

Sammi Nalle from the Kupang General Hospital said the number of people admitted with diarrhea to the hospital has been rising over the past four days.

He said the epidemics might have been triggered by the lack of cleanliness and local people's habit of drinking water without boiling it first.

Chief of the provincial health office Agus Berek has called on residents to report to the authorities if the epidemic strikes in their area.

He confirmed reports that an increasing number of people have been admitted to the Kupang General Hospital for diarrhea.

He added that the province has been waging a tough war against tropical malaria. (yac/pan)