Twin cities in grip of diarrhea outbreak

Nabeela Hafiz

Twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are in the grip of a diarrhea outbreak, and hundreds of people, especially children, are being brought daily to public and private hospitals for treatment.

The prime reason behind this viral diarrhea that is on the rise in Islamabad is poor personal hygiene, informed Paediatrician and Infectious Disease Specialist Dr Ejaz Khan.

We have witnessed a sudden increase in the number of children affected by diarrhea at the Children Emergency in Shifa International Hospital.

A relatively larger number of children have been admitted to our hospital than routine; the majority of them have come with complaints of diarrhea but they were also found suffering from fever, nausea, vomiting, cramps, dehydration, and body rashes, further said.

He advised the parents to ensure proper hygiene in their children and keep them hydrated if they have caught diarrhea.

Officials of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) have also confirmed receiving an increased number of patients with diarrhea complaints. The majority of children have been found infected with viruses as they are having loose or watery stools, fever, vomiting, headache, and stomachache.

Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi is also receiving hundreds of diarrhea patients daily. It seems that this type of gastroenteritis has spread across Rawalpindi and Islamabad as our PEADS emergency is full of children, said Paediatrician Dr Hafiz.

However, he said, parents shouldn’t be worried about that as this kind of viral diarrhea lasts 5-10 days only. It is important to prevent fluid loss.

For that purpose, ORS and water intake should be increased for children, he advised, adding that if the children get lethargic, they should be brought to hospital immediately.