Birgunj, May 1:

Doctors have warned people here to follow preventive measures as jaundice has been spreading for the past some weeks. Medical experts have urged people to be conscious of the fact that jaundice transmits through contaminated drinking water and lack of sanitation measures.

Asking people to take preventive measures, the Consumer Forum of Parsa today organised a programme here. More than 3,000 people fell prey to jaundice in Birgunj and surrounding areas within the past three months, said Dr Shyam Sundar Das of the Narayani Sub-regional Hospital.

Doctors have urged people to drink boiled water in order to to be safe from jaundice. Dr Ram Avatar Prasad Khetan said: “This disease might become an epidemic if precautions are not taken.” More than 60 per cent jaundice patients are from the urban areas. Among them, most of them are the consumers of Nepal Drinking Water Corporation (NDWC).