Karnataka: Two medical students test positive for cholera, health department on alert

Karnataka Health Department is on alert after two students from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) were tested positive for cholera, officials said on Sunday. The government has asked officials to take all necessary precautions to ensure that it is not spread to more people. Disinfection of the BMCRI hostel kitchen was being carried out after closing it. Pest control measures are also being taken, authorities said.

This comes a day after 47 students from the same institute were hospitalised with similar symptoms. Dr Padma MR of the state surveillance unit, under the Department of Health and Family Welfare, said that the cultures of two students have come back positive for cholera. Following the incident, Principal Secretary of Medical Education Department and the Chairperson of Women's Commission visited the hospital and the Girls Hostel. According to Ramesh Krishna, Dean and Director of BMCRI, 47 students from the Institute's girls' hostel were admitted to Victoria Hospital on Friday.

All of them suffered from loose stools and dehydration. They have been diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis. "Forty-seven students suffering from acute gastroenteritis were admitted to Victoria hospital from the girls hostel of BMCRI with a history of loose stools and weakness. The stool samples of all the patients were sent for culture and sensitivity test," he said.

"As stated in the reports, two patients have tested positive by hanging drop method and culture yelds vibrio Cholera (serotype ogawa) and one patient tested positive by hanging method and culture report is awaited," he added. "Treatment in the form of antibiotics and IV fluids is being given for all the patients. However, the water samples from the girls hostel have tested negative for Cholera," he further said.

Citing some of the preventive measures being taken in the girls hostel, Krishna said disinfection of the kitchen was being carried out after closing it. Food and water was being supplied from Victoria Hospital kitchen. Pest control measures are also being taken, he said. The Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department had on Friday said that six confirmed cases of cholera have been reported in the state so far this year of which five were reported in March. Amid reports that extreme heat compounded with the water crisis has led to a scare of a cholera outbreak, the department however clarified that all these cases are “sporadic” and that there was no outbreak.

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