GILGIT: At least 800 cases of gastroenteritis have been reported in the Astore district of Gilgit-Baltistan over the past four days, the District Health Officer (DHO) confirmed on Wednesday.
Talking to HUM News English, DHO Dr. Nawab Khan said that while the outbreak is acute, the symptoms are not severe, and most patients recover after one or two IV infusions.
“By the grace of God, the intensity is not severe, and no deaths have been reported. Five cases have tested positive for cholera, while the rest are cases of gastroenteritis,” he added.
Dr. Khan said the outbreak was first reported in the Patipura locality, where an emergency medical camp has been established. “The majority of cases are from Patipura, with some additional cases reported from Chongara, Government Colony, Losh, and the Eidgah area of the district headquarters,” he explained.
When asked if the outbreak could be linked to drinking water contaminated by flood or rainwater, he said he could not confirm it, noting that only muddy water, not a severe flood, had been reported in Patipura.
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“Alhamdulillah, the situation is now 90 percent under control. Aqua tablets have been distributed to households for water purification, and the number of new patients is declining,” he maintained. The DHO added that health and hygiene awareness campaigns have also been conducted.
He said on the first day, 313 patients were seen at the emergency camp in Patipura, of which 250 were diagnosed with gastroenteritis. Dr. Khan also noted that the disease is affecting all age groups equally.
In response to the crisis, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Astore Muhammad Awais Abbasi convened an emergency meeting on Wednesday to oversee a coordinated departmental response.
On the occasion, the DC said an emergency has been declared at the district hospital and all doctors and paramedical staff have been recalled to ensure prompt treatment for the influx of patients.
He acknowledged that the initial days saw a significant number of hospital admissions, all of whom were provided with medical care.
He said that the water supply to the affected villages was temporarily suspended, and cleaning of the water tanks was initiated. Water samples were collected from patients to determine the precise cause of the outbreak.
Meanwhile, a special team of experts led by Gilgit-Baltistan Director General Health Dr Sadiq Shah visited Astore to inspect the water supply infrastructure. The team collected Water samples from pipelines and storage tanks for further investigation. The Public Works Department also reviewed all water tanks, while emergency teams were formed to repair leakages in pipelines to prevent further contamination.
The deputy commissioner said that samples of wheat and flour distributed from the Civil Supply Department godown were collected and sent for laboratory testing to rule out food-related causes.
Astore District Headquarters Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Khush Nawaz briefed the meeting about the measures taken for the treatment of patients. “An isolation ward has been set up for severely affected patients, while an additional ward with extra beds has been prepared to accommodate new admissions if required,” he said.
DG Health Dr Sadiq Shah expressed optimism that the outbreak would be controlled soon. “With the blessing of Allah and the cooperation of the people, we will bring the situation under control quickly,” he said.
He urged the public to adopt preventive measures such as washing hands with soap, maintaining cleanliness, boiling water before use, and avoiding close contact with infected persons.