Kathmandu, April 10

The National Public Health Laboratory has so far recorded 24 cases of cholera since 30 June, 2016.

Of them, six cases were reported in Kathmandu and 18 in Lalitpur districts.

A report released today by the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division called ‘National Preparedness and Response Plan for Acute Gastroenteritis/Cholera Outbreaks in Nepal’ shows that cholera outbreaks in urban areas have increased in comparison to the last three years.

“The country is at high risk of severe cholera outbreak due to increased urban population density accompanied by inadequate supply of drinking water and poor sanitation,” said Dr Gana Nidhi Sharma, chief of Epidemiology Section, Epidemiology and Diseases Control Division.

He said 93 per cent of households in Nepal use an improved source of drinking water while 72 per cent live in households with improved sanitation facilities.

“Floods and landslides during monsoon damage water and sanitation infrastructure every year,” he said.