Diarrhea strikes NTT, 21 children die

Diarrhea strikes NTT, 21 children die

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: A recent occurrence of children
with severe diarrhea in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province has
claimed 21 lives, mostly children, over the last month.

In the worst-hit area, Timor Tengah Selatan regency, 16
children reportedly died due to the diarrhea -- the cause of
which was still unknown to the health agency in the province.

In addition, 851 people were being treated in hospitals and
health centers with similar symptoms. In Kupang regency, five
people have died, with their deaths attributed to complications
as a result of the same severe diarrhea.

Head of Timor Tengah Selatan regency's Health Office, Markus
NG Righuta, said on Wednesday that 28 children with nearly
identical symptoms were still being treated at hospitals and
community health centers.

"The provincial administration has assisted in dealing with
the problem by sending a medical team of four doctors and a lab
analyst as well as extra medicine to the regency," Markus said.

East Java's environmental health technology agency also sent
in a team of three doctors, he added.

The team, he said, would analyze the diarrhea cases in the
province to produce a diagnosis and recommend prevention methods
to avert a widespread outbreak. -- JP