Over 1,000 gastro patients in March have docs worried

After jaundice, it is now gastroenteritis.

The problem is worse, doctors say, because new cases are being reported every day.

At least 1,175 patients were treated for the disease in March, according to BMC records. A health department official said 39 people were admitted to hospitals on Tuesday and 43 on Wednesday.

“Most viral gastroenteritis cases are self-limiting,” Dr Nutan Desai, gastroenterologist at Fortis Hospital in Mulund, said. “But it can take a severe form in children, elderly, or people with immune deficiency.”

General physicians blame the soaring mercury levels. Also, there
is a scarcity of safe drinking water and contamination of food.
“Food becomes stale easily because of the summer heat. The roadside food that looks delicious can actually be contaminated or spoilt, leading to gastroenteritis,” Dr Rina Shah, gastroenterologist, said.

General practitioners say it would be wise to stay off roadside food during summer. “Consuming such food can lead to diarrhoea, vomiting, gastroenteritis, and jaundice,” Dr Manisha Arya, general practitioner in Kandivli, said. Arya has seen at least 50 gastroenteritis patients over the past one month.

A civic official said most roadside vendors use contaminated water. If the city has to be rid of waterborne diseases, the official said, the BMC needs to crack down on 2,000 roadside stalls spread across 24 municipal wards.