Cholera outbreak: Two test positive as 47 medical students hospitalised in Bengaluru

This development comes on the heels of the Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department's announcement that six confirmed cholera cases had been documented in the state this year, with five emerging in March alone. Earlier, a case surfaced involving a resident from a boys' PG in Bengaluru's Malleshwaram.

The number of cholera cases have reared its head in Bengaluru as two students from the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) tested positive for the infectious disease on Saturday. The alarming development follows reports of 47 students exhibiting similar symptoms at the BMCRI's girls' hostel, prompting urgent medical attention at Victoria Hospital.

The afflicted students presented symptoms of loose stools, dehydration, and acute gastroenteritis, leading to their hospitalisation. Confirming the distressing situation, BMCRI management said, "Forty-seven students suffering from acute gastroenteritis were admitted to Victoria Hospital from the girl's hostel of BMCRI with a history of loose stools and weakness. The stool samples of all the patients were sent for culture and sensitivity tests. Two patients have tested positive for cholera by hanging drop method, and culture yields vibrio Cholera (serotype ogawa). One patient tested positive by hanging method, and culture report is awaited."

Amid mounting concerns regarding the hostel's water quality, authorities moved swiftly to allay fears, asserting that the infection did not stem from the water supply. "The water samples from the girls' hostel tested negative for Cholera. The patients are currently being treated with antibiotics and IV fluids," affirmed the management.

This development comes on the heels of the Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department's announcement that six confirmed cholera cases had been documented in the state this year, with five emerging in March alone. Earlier, a case surfaced involving a resident from a boys' PG in Bengaluru's Malleshwaram.

However, health officials stressed that the situation does not constitute an outbreak, characterising the cases as sporadic occurrences. Despite the reassurances, the emergence of cholera among students in Bengaluru underscores the imperative for heightened vigilance and proactive measures to curb its spread.