Diarrhea kills eight people

Diarrhea kills eight people

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: At least eight people have died
and 70 others were treated at local community health centers
after a diarrhea outbreak in South Central Timor regency, an
official said on Saturday.

Hundreds more have been evacuated since the outbreak, which
followed flooding, hit the subdistrict early this month.

The head of disease prevention and eradication at the regency
health office, Bartholomeus Liufet, said three remote villages of
Tioneke, Tuafanu and Kiufatu were most heavily affected.

Two of the fatalities were aged under 12 years, and the rest
from 15 to 85.

"Wells and toilets in those areas have been badly
contaminated, but residents find it difficult to change their
habit of drinking unboiled water," Liufet said.

He said medical workers were late in assisting the victims
because of the villages' distance of 80 kilometers from the
regency capital of Soe.

Regent Wilem Nope visited the villages on Thursday and sent a
medical assistance team. He also ordered the local health office
to provide clean water for the residents. (yac)