The rains across Karnataka over the last few weeks may have helped ease the water situation in the drought-hit state, but it has also brought with it an increase in typhoid cases in Bengaluru.  

Deccan Herald reports that the BBMP has registered 200 cases of typhoid in the last week alone while a total of 1368 cases were registered from January-August. Bengaluru’s civic body, however, denied that there is an outbreak of the waterborne illness.

“We are not witnessing any outbreak of typhoid. But we are getting a few cases, which is more than usual,” said Dr Lokesh MN, Chief Health Officer, BBMP said.

A senior physician at a private hospital, however, differed from the BBMP’s Chief Health Officer assessment, stating that the situation as alarming.

“This year, we are witnessing an alarming rise in typhoid cases, especially among the working-class population. Every day, I get around 10 cases. Typhoid is an acute fever caused by the Salmonella Typhi bacteria. The bacteria deposits in water or food and spreads through human carriers,” Dr Pankaj Singhai, senior consultant, Internal Medicines, Manipal Hospitals told Bangalore Mirror.

BBMP officials admitted that sewage water mixed with drinking water was primarily the reason for this, reported BM.

 “We are sending our health inspectors on rounds and have also released an advisory to the people that they must drink only boiled water, especially if they reside in apartment complexes that depend on water from tanks for drinking. This is because the source of water is unknown in these cases. We are also keeping a tab on localities from where an outbreak is being reported,” a health officer told the newspaper.

The rains have also led to the outbreak of other viral diseases like dengue and swine flu along with the common cold.