With the influx of diarrhea patients in various hospitals of Nepali capital city Kathmandu, some hospitals have detected cholera bacteria among patients recently, the Nepali National News Agency RSS reported Friday.

Caused by lack of clean and uncontaminated drinking water during the time of rainy season, a large number of people fall victim to diarrhea and cholera bacteria every year, the RSS said.

According to information provided by Kanti Children's Hospital, the number of diarrhea patients has surged this month as well, of which three patients were detected with cholera bacteria.

The hospital has witnessed some 14 to 15 children being admitted with gastroenteritis every day.

The department of gastroenteritis at the hospital Thursday forwarded stool samples of three patients for laboratory test among patients admitted in the hospital who displayed symptoms of cholera.

However, there has been no case of death caused by diarrhea and cholera reported this year.

Meanwhile, Teku Hospital has witnessed the maximum number of patients suffering from diarrhea these days, but Director of the hospital Dr. Kokila Shrestha stated that none of the patients has been diagnosed with cholera till the date.

Although, more than 50 patients suffering from diarrhea come to the hospital for treatment every day, lab test carried out among patients with suspected cases of cholera did not show the cholera bacteria in stool test.

The hospital record revealed that seven cases of cholera were diagnosed among the patients who were treated by the hospital last year.

As the cholera is a disease caused by drinking water contaminated with a bacterium known as vibrio cholerae, precautions should be taken regarding drinking water.

Cholera can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration, and in some cases may be fatal, especially to those with weakened or less well- developed immune systems, such as the elderly and young children, the report said.

Source: Xinhua