Islamabad, December 13 (IANS). An outbreak of cholera in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province this week has killed eight people, including six children, local health officials said Saturday. Due to this, the death toll in the last three weeks has increased to 12.
District Health Officer Abdul Ghaffar Khetran told Xinhua News Agency that this case is from Cheena Khundi area of Musakhel district, where six children and two men lost their lives. He said that medical teams from Quetta, Loralai and Barkhan have reached the area, while medicines have been sent on the instructions of the provincial health director general.
Considering the seriousness of the situation, a government school has been converted into a temporary hospital to provide emergency treatment to the patients.
According to health officials, 14 patients from the area are undergoing treatment.
Health officials have also collected water samples to find the source of the disease spread.
Earlier this year, Pakistan’s Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the National Cholera Control Plan 2025-2028, which aims to reduce mortality by 90 percent by 2030 and prepare the country to prevent, detect and respond to cholera outbreaks in an environment of severe climate change-induced disasters.
Cholera is an endemic disease in Pakistan. An average of more than 21,000 suspected and 250 confirmed cases are reported each year from 2023 to July 2025. This year, the Health Ministry and WHO launched the National Cholera Control Plan 2025-2028, which aims to reduce deaths by 90 percent by 2030.
Cholera is caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacteria, which is spread through contaminated water or food and causes severe diarrhea. If not treated on time, it can prove fatal. Experts say floods and natural disasters linked to climate change are fueling such outbreaks.
The local health department is on alert and treatment and investigation are ongoing. If you or someone you know is in an affected area, use clean water, wash hands thoroughly and contact a doctor immediately if symptoms appear. This condition is serious, but can be controlled by taking timely steps.
–IANS
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