DOT Desk: Hundreds of children have been affected by the illness, reports The Independent.
A diarrhea epidemic has become widespread in the Shailkupa upazila of Jhenaidah district. At least 200 children, from different regions of the upazila, have received treatment for diarrhea, in the Shailkupa Hospital, over the last 32 days. According to hospital sources, weather changes and severe cold have caused the outbreak. Around 37 people, including 19 children, were affected by the disease and admitted to hospital over the past two days of this month.Meanwhile, the children were sheltered and treated in the women’s ward as the hospital does not have a children’s ward. Additionally, the risk of illness is increasing as patients have to stay on makeshift beds on the floor, due to a shortage of hospital beds, the on-duty nurses said.A woman whose child, Tazib, 1, was admitted to the hospital, has confirmed the matter about the shortage of beds.Upazila Health Complex Health and Family Planning official Dr Khandakar Md Babar said: “Due to the changes in weather and extreme cold from December to January, more children have been severely affected by Rota virus.
“However, breastfeeding the children, giving them oral saline, providing soft boiled hodgepodge, and providing broth from flattened rice can assist with their prompt recovery.”
Dr Khandakar added that the hospital is doing its best to provide proper medical care to the admitted children.