Nine people — including six children — have died after a gastroenteritis outbreak in a village near Karachi’s outskirts, prompting the government to declare a health emergency in the affected region and in nearby Malir District.
The deaths occurred in Faiz Muhammad Burro Goth, under the jurisdiction of Thana Bola Khan in Jamshoro District, located near Bahria Town Karachi.The victims fell ill after consuming contaminated food and water during a funeral gathering more than a week ago, according to the provincial health minister, Azra Fazal Pechuho.
In response, emergency medical services have been activated: a medical camp has operated in the area for about a week, three local hospitals are offering 24-hour emergency care, and mobile hospital vans — equipped with basic labs and other treatment facilities — have been deployed. Ambulance service Rescue 1122 is also on high alert.
Officials report that although the outbreak began in Jamshoro, nearby hospitals in Malir and Gadap have also been placed on alert. According to the Malir District Health Officer, Imdad Channa, the situation is “now under control,” and the affected village used water from an uncovered underground tank.
Water samples have been taken and sent for analysis. Experts clarified that gastroenteritis — often referred to as “stomach flu” — is an intestinal infection marked by symptoms such as watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea or vomiting, and sometimes fever. It is most commonly caused by either ingesting contaminated food or water, or by close contact with an infected person.
The article also mentions that in 2023, a similar incident occurred in a Malir village where one woman died and hundreds fell ill after consuming contaminated water and food in the wake of the Eid al-Adha animal slaughter season.
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