Hepatitis B, C on rise due to contaminated water

[Naveed Yaseen]

RAWALPINDI: Diseases such as Hepatitis B and C are rapidly spreading in the city due to contaminated water and unhygienic conditions, a report issued by the Reality Welfare Organisation (RWO) said on Friday.

The report also said that in October the RWO gathered 230 blood samples of residents of various areas of the city, conducted tests of Hepatitis B and C and found that 15.7 percent results were positive.

The tests’ results showed a rise in Hepatitis C positive cases as compared to Hepatitis B, the report said, adding that 28 out of the 230 residents were suffering from Hepatitis C, six had Hepatitis B positive and two had both Hepatitis B and C positive. The rise was witnessed in hepatitis C cases as compared to the past year when only 15 persons were suffering from the disease.

RWO media coordinator Muhammad Younus said that contaminated water and unhygienic conditions were causing fatal diseases such as Hepatitis B, C, Tuberculosis and skin related problems among the residents.

He said that the main source of the spread of diseases was rat bite and mosquitoes. He said that the Punjab Government should take measures to cope with the situation. Younus said that there was also a need to educate the people about cleanliness.

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