Fear of diarrhoea and vomiting outbreak in Tufi

By SHEILA LASIBORI
MORE than 180 people have been treated with diarrhoea and vomiting in the flood devastated Tufi, Oro province.
A total of 187 people have been treated at the Wanigela area and there are fears this figure will increase, posing a possible outbreak of these diseases.
Assistant district administrator for the Tufi sub-district Cyprian Warige told The National yesterday that there were also another report from Ako village that there had been an increase in the number of people affected by diarrhoea and vomiting.
This was believed to have been caused by the consumption of untreated and contaminated water as a result of the flood which swept across the province last Nov 14.
There was only flood-related death recorded at Gegerava village near Kewansasap village where an elderly man died.
Meanwhile, relief supplies from a non-governmental organisation that had been at the Tufi subdistrict awaiting distribution to the inland and inaccessible areas by road and sea, were dropped by an Islands Nationair helicopter.
The helicopter distributed the relief supplies yesterday, accompanied by a journalist from The National.
It made four trips to Guruguru on the plains of the Musa valley which was about 30km from Tufi.
Guruguru was said to be the main area of stockpile where supplies and other items would be distributed to the three villagers located in surrounding areas.
Mr Warige said relief supplies to affected areas located on the coast especially towards the Wanigela area began at Uiaku and to Kewansasap and nearby areas.
Three members of the PNG Defence Force and police at Tufi also accompanied some supplies of blankets, canvass, water containers, and bags of rice among others to the Gobe area yesterday, by motorised boat.