Rautahat, June 21:

Diarrhoea and cholera have assumed epidemic proportions at Gaidatar of Rautahat’s Chandranigahpur VDC-4. Two persons died of the diseases today, while at least 300 others are affected.

There is not a single household at Gaidatar that has not been affected. Bedmaya Gautam, 75, and 80-year-old Bhimnath Khanal died this morning, their relatives said.

With the number of patients standing at 350, medicines have gone into short supply, doctors treating the patients said. Three physicians are doing their best to treat the patients, said chief of the district Ayurved Health Centre at Chandranigahpur Dr Santosh Kumar Thakur, adding that more doctors should be sent in. Dr Thakur rushed with other fellow physicians to Gaidatar after the news of the epidemic yesterday and the team of doctors is moving from door to door treating patients. Saying that patients range from three-year-olds to 80-year-olds, Dr Thakur said a patient was given as many as 20 bottles of saline water.

The primary health centre at Chandranigahpur was overflowing with patients.

The government hospital has completely run out of medicines.

CDO Durga Prasad Bhandari said the epidemic was being brought under control gradually. and that a team of physicians has started from Kathmandu with medicines today.