Epidemic strikes Karachi
over 500 people were affected and 12 children died in an outbreak of waterborne epidemic in Landhi Town of Karachi just two weeks after a similar situation in the Essa Nagri area.
In July this year the quality control department of the city district government, Karachi had sent a report to the city Nazim (head of district level government under the new devolution plan) warning him about alarming reports of the water samples collected from different parts of the city.
Almost 90 per cent of the samples collected were tested unfit for human consumption and reports also warned about the probability of a dangerous situation during monsoon. The test confirmed mixing of drinking water with sewage water causing the outbreak of gastroenteritis. Provincial secretary health, Naushad Shaikh, confirmed that Vibrio Cholerae caused one death, while gastroenteritis is responsible for the remaining deaths.
According to Noman Ahmed, professor at ned University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, "The water is unsafe to drink and is virtually 100 per cent contaminated containing e coli to a level unsafe for human consumption