KHOTANG: The number of patients suffering from scrub typhus, diarrhoea, pneumonia, typhoid and cold among others have rose to extremity in the Khotang District Hospital.

The number of patients heavily outnumbers the only 15 beds of the hospital. The newly arrived patients undergo treatment on floor without any other option in lack of beds in the hospital, informed Dr Madhav Prasad Lamsal.

The hospital was established in 1991. The lack of beds in the hospital has forced some patients to undergo treatment staying in nearby hotels. The growth of number of patients has also pressurised in the outpatient department. The patients have to wait for their turn until the previous patients return home after treatment, Lamsal added.

There is also scarcity of medicines since the East Regional Health Directorate, Biratnagar has been unable to supply the medicine due to the disturbance caused by ongoing protests in Tarai-Madhes.

The epidemic disease scrub typhus has been detected among 14 patients in the district. As many as 10 of them have been cured while two of them are referred to another hospital and other two are undergoing treatment; informed the doctor.

Scrub typhus has become common after it claimed the lives of children in neighbouring districts.