An outbreak of cholera in North Assam’s tea garden belt has left at least 16 persons dead and over 150 others affected, state health department sources have confirmed.
Most of the deaths have been reported from six tea gardens of the Biswanath Chariali area of Sonitpur district.
The victims had been down with the disease over a week, but the deaths were reported only from Tuesday.
Doctors at the civil hospital where the victims were taken said the toll was so high because many of those afflicted by the disease were taken to hospital very late, and that some had earlier been treated by quacks.
Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters that a general health alert has been sounded.