A lack of safe drinking water due to increased temperatures and continuous power outages has resulted in an unusually early outbreak of diarrhoeal diseases across Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

Normally diarrhoea does not break out before late April, however, since 11 March 2009 an average of 700 patients have been admitted to the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases and Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) hospital each day. Health workers are struggling to cope because normally the hospital does not have more than 250 patients admitted at a time. The amount of patients have triplicated compared to the same period last year and "the situation is reaching epidemic levels", according to Dr Azharul Islam Khan of ICDDR,B.

With an increase in population and the number of industries, and a water table that continues to fall, demand for safe drinking water has increased exponentially over the last decade, especially in the slums where most patients are from. Furthermore, hot weather helps bacteria replicate faster, while power outages prevent the smooth distribution of water in the city.

Related web site: ICDDR,B

Source:IRIN, 19 Mar 2009 ; BBC news, 28 Apr 2009

Tags: south asia, water quality, water-related diseases