Food, water-borne diseases cause 3,000 deaths in Nepal
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About 3,000 people, out of 20,000 people affected with food and
water-borne diseases, die in last year in Nepal, an official at
Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) said here Sunday.

"About 20,000 persons are affected by food and water-borne diseases
with around 3,000 dying last year in Nepal," Mahendra Bahadur Bista,
director of EDCD, told reporters.

Earlier, around 300,000 persons used to be affected by food and
water-borne diseases with around 25,000 dying a year in Nepal, but now
the number has spiraled down, Bista noted, adding, "Due to heightened
awareness among communities, the number of deaths has dropped
drastically over the years."

The major food and water-borne diseases are cholera, viral
gastroenteritis, typhoid, Hepatitis A, polio, worms and parasites and
chemical toxins, and these diseases can be checked if proper
precautions are taken in time.

"Choosing safe food items, cooking food thoroughly, avoiding contact
between raw and cooked food, washing hands repeatedly, using safe water
can prevent outbreak of the diseases." Bista said.

Meanwhile, about 60 percent of water-borne diseases can be controlled
by consuming clean drinking water, Bista added.

According to EDCD, a total of 6,803 cases of diarrhea cases with one
death were reported in Kathmandu Valley, while 14,065 cases and 337
deaths were reported outside the valley in 2004.

Source: Xinhua

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