Drinking water samples collected from the “Drugs-Free Society,” a rehabilitation center in Thaiba, Lalitpur, have tested positive for faecal coliform, a dangerous microbe. This contamination was found in all water sources, including utility and well water, leading to a cholera outbreak at the center.

Shree Bhadra Sharma, a lab technician at the Health Office Lalitpur, confirmed the presence of faecal coliform, noting that efforts to chlorinate the water have begun to combat the contamination. Faecal coliform, which lives in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and their feces, indicates sewage contamination in the drinking water.

Recently, four people at the rehab center tested positive for cholera, an infectious disease causing severe diarrhea and vomiting that can lead to death if untreated. The World Health Organization recognizes cholera as a significant global health threat and an indicator of social inequality and underdevelopment. The Vibrio cholera 01 Ogawa serotype was found in the stool sample of an infected patient.

Among the four infected, one patient in critical condition was admitted to the intensive care unit at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Kathmandu. Another patient was discharged but has nowhere to go due to the closure of the rehab center.

The detection of faecal coliform in drinking water is not uncommon during the monsoon season, which is known for epidemic outbreaks due to contaminated water sources. Health officials are concerned about the lack of proactive measures and awareness drives by responsible agencies to educate the public on risks and preventive actions.

Local authorities had stopped testing drinking water before the monsoon due to budget constraints, exacerbating the situation. Dr. Yuba Nidhi Basaula, director at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, emphasized the importance of ensuring safe drinking water to prevent diarrheal infections and other waterborne diseases such as dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis A and E.

To tackle the issue, a multifaceted approach involving awareness drives, provision of safe drinking water, good sanitation and hygiene standards, social mobilization, and proper treatment is essential to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.