CHOLERA SPREADS ALONG THE BORDER

(By Taramon /Sangkhlaburi: Jan 4, 2004)

Cholera is spreading along the southern Thai-Burma border where children have been mostly affected, a characteristic feature of the disease known as Vibria cholerae, the source from Mon medical workers reported.

"Almost all the children who have come to the hospital are infected with diarrhea", said Nai Ong Janeh from the Palang-Japan hospital near Three Pagodas Pass border town. It takes about one week for the children to recover from dehydration.

The medic believes it is cholera, which is causing the diarrhea, a bacterium that was probably spread through contaminated water and fruits around the village area. The patients need intravenous D5S drip due for severe dehydration, as ORS cannot stop the diarrhea and vomiting.

The other medical worker who opened a private clinic in the area said that about 40% of the child patients are suffering from diarrhea at the moment, the community needs swift medical attention to treat the bacteria or as much as 50 % case-fatality rates may occur. The common disease in this area is malaria in which most local people have been infected.