Contaminated water kills 9 and hospitalizes 200 in India

NEW DELHI, Jan 02 (Arab News): At least nine people have died and more than 200 have been hospitalized in the central Indian city of Indore after a diarrhea outbreak that officials said was linked to contaminated drinking water, according to a lawmaker and local health authorities.

Kailash Vijayvargiya, a lawmaker, said nine people had died in Indore.

Indore's chief medical officer, Madhav Prasad ?Hasani, told Reuters by phone that drinking water in the Bhagirathpur area of the city was contaminated due to a leak, and a water test had confirmed the presence of bacteria in the pipeline.

"I cannot say anything on the death toll but yes over 200 people from the same locality are undergoing treatment at different hospitals of the city. The final report of the water sample collected from the affected area is awaited," Hasani said.