ITANAGAR, 22 Jun: At least two children have died while 17 others were seriously ill due to diarrhoea in Longding district, a medical officer said.
Two children in the age group of 5-7 years died in Konsa village near the Indo-Myanmar border due to outbreak of diarrhoea, the officer said.
Five-year-old Khunwang Wangsa died on 15 June, while Sahwang Wangsa (7) died on 18 June, Longding DMO Dr Aza Miyu said.
Another 17 children were also affected by the disease, with three of them admitted in the district hospital in Longding and currently undergoing treatment, he said.
Konsa village is around 50 kms from Longding, the district headquarters.
“After receiving the information on 48 June, we sent a medical team with adequate medicines and started treatment to control the disease,” Dr Miyu said, adding that possible contamination of drinking water sources in the village might be the reason for the outbreak of the disease.
The disease is generally from a bacterial infection in drinking water, he said.
Miyu said that samples of water from the community tank from where the villagers drink water have been collected for examination and the PHE department would soon undertake a chlorination process in the village and its nearby areas.
“The health department is also initiating necessary steps to create awareness on diarrhoea and how to prevent its spread,” the DMO said. (PTI)
