Chennai’s Apollo Hospital recently informed the Corporation and the Public Health Department that at least two people in its facilities have tested positive for cholera. What more, three others are suspected to have contracted the disease as well.
This comes after Tamil Nadu recorded zero cases of cholera in the last two years.
Infectious disease expert Dr Abdul Ghafur, who confirmed the cases, tells TNM, "Information and reports have been submitted to the concerned government authorities. We have taken necessary steps on our side and the government is doing its part too.”
According to reports, the hospital has tested 50 samples of water and food from within the hospital, but did not find any contamination.
A member of the Corporation Health Department tells TNM that, from initial investigation, the contamination does not seem to have originated locally.
"The victims affected include people from Africa. And one of them has come from Dubai. But we have pressed our teams into action. We are inspecting food and water in the Apollo canteen. In addition to this, we are coordinating with the hospital. The entire place has been quarantined. We have made sure that those affected do not further spread the disease. The necessary corrective measures are being taken," he says.
According to webmd, “Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe watery diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated. It is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae.”
Times of India reports that most people affected by the bacteria do not develop any symptoms, but it remains in their faeces for up to 10 days and then shed back into the environment, where it could affect others.
The Department for Public Health, however, tells TNM that the cases reported are not a matter of huge concern. "It is just a few people and steps are already being taken to identify the source of contamination. Two departments – Food Safety and Public Health – are testing food and water respectively," says Public Health Director Kolandaswamy. "Cholera can be treated easily and all the patients are stable. Chances are that there was contamination in water. If it was food, more patients would have been affected. Also, the affected people are cancer patients, so their immunity is already low.”