About 3,000 people, out of 20,000 people affected with food and water-borne diseases, die in last year in Nepal, an official at Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) said here Sunday.

"About 20,000 persons are affected by food and water-borne diseases with around 3,000 dying last year in Nepal," Mahendra Bahadur Bista, director of EDCD, told reporters.

Earlier, around 300,000 persons used to be affected by food and water-borne diseases with around 25,000 dying a year in Nepal, but now the number has spiraled down, Bista noted, adding, "Due to heightened awareness among communities, the number of deaths has dropped drastically over the years."

The major food and water-borne diseases are cholera, viral gastroenteritis, typhoid, Hepatitis A, polio, worms and parasites and chemical toxins, and these diseases can be checked if proper precautions are taken in time.

"Choosing safe food items, cooking food thoroughly, avoiding contact between raw and cooked food, washing hands repeatedly, using safe water can prevent outbreak of the diseases." Bista said.

Meanwhile, about 60 percent of water-borne diseases can be controlled by consuming clean drinking water, Bista added.

According to EDCD, a total of 6,803 cases of diarrhea cases with one death were reported in Kathmandu Valley, while 14,065 cases and 337 deaths were reported outside the valley in 2004.

Source: Xinhua