Lahore hospitals report surge in gastroenteritis patients amid conflicting outbreak reports

Lahore's hospitals are grappling with a surge in gastroenteritis patients, with alarming reports of severe complications including kidney failure and stroke. Mayo Hospital, the province's largest teaching hospital, is experiencing an extraordinary rush of patients suffering from the waterborne disease. Medics there described the situation as particularly alarming, noting the severity of cases presenting at the facility.

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We are receiving a good number of patients with stomach infections, which may be the result of massive rains in the city.

While Mayo Hospital faces a significant spike, other government hospitals like Lahore General Hospital and Jinnah Hospital also reported an increase in patients. However, Services Hospital stated its patient numbers remain routine. A spokesperson for Lahore General Hospital attributed the rise to the city's massive rains, suggesting contaminated water or food as likely causes.

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We are receiving a large number of patients with gastroenteritis, many of them with kidney failure and stroke, which requires epidemiological investigation by public health experts.

Dr. Salman Kazmi, a senior medical consultant at Mayo Hospital, expressed strong concern, stating that the influx of patients with severe symptoms like kidney failure and stroke requires immediate epidemiological investigation. He believes a cholera outbreak might be responsible for the sharp increase in gastroenteritis cases. Kazmi noted that cholera typically manifests as a sudden spike in severe diarrhea and dehydration, often linked to contaminated water or food, poor hygiene, and unsafe drinking water.

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I strongly believe that there may be an outbreak of cholera in the city, which has led to the extraordinary increase in the number of gastroenteritis patients.

Kazmi added that the emergency ward at Mayo Hospital has seen a high number of patients with stroke, low blood pressure, and complications from diarrhea. He could not provide official patient numbers due to data registration system issues. In contrast, Prof. Zohra, Principal of Services Hospital Lahore, denied any outbreak at her institute. Dr. Mohammad Arshad, a former consultant, noted that stomach infections typically rise during the monsoon season due to contaminated water and food, with major hospitals seeing such rushes for about two weeks.

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Even the emergency ward of Mayo Hospital has witnessed a high influx of patients with stroke, low blood pressure and complications from diarrhoea.