Diarrhea outbreak kills 13 on Alor

MAUMERE, Flores: At least 13 people have died and 56 others are being treated at a local community health center in South Alor subdistrict, East Nusa Tenggara province, for various ailments related to a possible diarrhea epidemic.

The deaths were recorded over the weekend in the three villages of Tilapoi, Tamanapui and Manmas, local legislator Fidelis Tua Tolang told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

He said acting head of the Alor district health office Asianus Dopong Tunung confirmed the report and has sent two doctors, two nurses and three assistants to the affected villages.

Some of the hospitalized patients had recovered, but most others are still under intensive treatment, Fidelis said.

He said local administration officials would visit the villages to encourage residents to boil drinking water and to maintain sanitary conditions in their houses. --JP