KATHMANDU, Aug 24: All schools within Birgunj Metropolitan City have been closed for two days after cholera spread at the community level.
According to the Educational Administration Division of the metropolis, both community and institutional schools will remain closed on Sunday and Monday to contain the outbreak.
Local health authorities reported a sharp rise in cholera cases in recent days. As of late Saturday night, 42 patients admitted to various hospitals in Birgunj tested positive for cholera, while 129 others remain under treatment.
Birgunj schools to be closed for three days due to extreme heat
The infection has been confirmed in Wards 11, 12, 13, and 16 of Birgunj metropolis. The outbreak first appeared on Friday night among residents of Murli Tole in Ward 12, prompting the mobilization of health teams. By Saturday, cases had spread to four wards of the metropolis.
According to the District Public Health Office, this is the first cholera outbreak recorded in Parsa district in the past ten years. Cholera is caused when the Vibrio cholerae bacteria enter the body through contaminated food or water. Common symptoms include persistent diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, sunken eyes, dehydration, muscle cramps and fever. If untreated, it can be fatal.
Meanwhile, two patients showing cholera-like symptoms have died- a woman from Pokharia-9 and a man from Birgunj-12. According to the District Public Health Office, their families reported diarrhea-related illness, but we cannot conclusively say their deaths were caused by cholera.
Health officials have collected water samples from 11 affected locations and sent them to the National Public Health Laboratory in Teku, Kathmandu, for further testing.
