Twelve dead in diarrhea outbreak

PADANG, West Sumatra: Twelve people have died and scores of others have been hospitalized in a diarrhea outbreak affecting seven villages in Air Bangis district during the past month.

Dr. Firdaus Bahauddin of the provincial office of the Ministry of Health said a medical team had been sent to the area to help prevent the epidemic from spreading.

"They are working around the clock at several village health clinics in the area," he was quoted as saying by Antara.

The news agency identified the villages as Koto Jambu, Kampung Padang, Silaway, Koto IX, Pulau Panjang, Pasar Baru and Lubuk Gadang. (swe)