Diarrhoea hits Arunachal district, 9 children die in two weeks

Nine children in the age group of 3-10 years have died due to a diarrhoea outbreak in a remote circle of Arunachal Pradesh’s Tirap district over the last two weeks, officials said.

Seven children from Pongkong village and two from Longliang succumbed to the disease in the last fortnight, triggering concern among health authorities and the district administration, they said.

The exact reason is yet to be ascertained, as results of stool and water sample examination are awaited, District Medical Officer (DMO) Obang Taggu said.

District officials are constantly monitoring the situation while a medical team and an ambulance has been kept on standby at the Lazu community hall. The situation has improved in the last few days as there have been no reports of more casualties, officials said.

According to the World Health Organisation, diarrhoeal disease is the second leading cause of death in children aged under five.