Mizoram's Cholera Outbreak Claims 6 Lives, Village Under Lockdown

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A cholera outbreak in Mizoram's Lawngtlai and Siaha districts near the Indo-Myanmar border has claimed six lives, prompting authorities to take drastic measures. The Zoram Medical College and Hospital (ZMC&H) confirmed that the deaths were caused by cholera-triggered gastroenteritis after laboratory testing of patient samples and water from the affected village. According to officials, three refugees and three local residents from the affected districts have died. To contain the outbreak, the Mizoram government has declared Kakichhuah village, a remote settlement near the Myanmar border, a containment zone for two months. Movement in and out of the village is restricted, except for medical teams, election duty officials, and those on emergency duties. A medical team has been stationed at the village since November 11, and a total of 90 people have been examined, with 84 showing symptoms. Four patients are currently undergoing treatment. Most cases were reported from households lacking proper water sources, highlighting the need for urgent sanitation and hygiene measures. The Mizoram government has invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, to tackle the outbreak. The district administrations of Lawngtlai and Siaha have taken stringent precautionary measures, including the closure of the entry point between Salachhuah in Myanmar and Kakichhuah village for the next two months. The situation is being closely monitored, and medical relief works are underway to prevent the further spread of the disease. The affected community, primarily the Khumi people, refugees from Myanmar's southern Chin and Rakhine states, is being provided with medical assistance and support.