9 people died of flood-borne diseases in Pakistan

Thousands of people have been affected by water-borne and infectious diseases in Pakistan since floodwaters began to recede, government data showed.

At least 9 more people died on Monday due to these diseases. The number of deaths due to such diseases has reached 318.

The country's disaster management agency said the death toll from the floods has risen to 1,559. Among them there are 551 children and 318 women. This number does not include deaths from flood-borne diseases.

Officials said it may take two to six months for the floodwaters to recede from different areas.

After the water receded, outbreaks of malaria, dengue fever, diarrhea and skin diseases began in the flood-affected areas, mainly in Sindh province.

In a report released on Tuesday, Sindh's provincial government said nine people died on Monday from diseases such as gastroenteritis, acute diarrhea and malaria.


They said that since July 1, a total of 318 people have died due to various diseases.

According to the report, more than 72,000 patients have been treated till Monday in temporary and mobile hospitals set up in flood-affected areas.

Since July 1, more than 27 lakh people have been treated in these hospitals.

About 3.3 million people have been affected by floods across Pakistan due to record monsoon rains and melting glaciers in the northern mountains. The floodwaters swept away houses, crops, bridges, roads and livestock, causing damage estimated at $30 billion.

Millions of people displaced by floods are forced to live under the open sky. As they are forced to drink water from closed reservoirs, various infectious diseases are spreading among them. They urgently need food, clean water, shelter, sanitation and medicine, authorities said.