Diarrhoea Deaths

A52-year-old Brov ethnic minority woman in Ratanakkiri province’s Ta Veng district died yesterday morning after suffering from acute diarrhoea and vomiting, bringing the total number of such deaths in the province since April to 33, officials said.

Aom Sokha, the superintendent of the district health centre, said the woman, who lived in Kekong Leu village, had been ill for about 12 hours before she died, and that it had been impossible to save her because her condition was “too serious” by the time she arrived at the health centre.

“Her blood vessels had become sticky and did not allow intravenous therapy to flow,” he said. “Her bladder stopped functioning, and she died about 10 minutes after being hospitalised.”

Tha Buntha, deputy director of the provincial health department, said there had been 1,365 acute diarrhoea cases since April. Meanwhile, one of five Preah Sihanouk provincial prison inmates hospitalised after an outbreak of diarrhoea was sent back to the prison yesterday, officials said.

Prison director Top Sophea said the two who have not returned are in “serious” condition.