Friday, March 17 2006 12:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Even as health officials refuted reports of a cholera outbreak in the city, the number of cases of gastroenteritis admitted to state-run and BMC-run hospitals here have increased to 219. "With the number of deaths remaining at two in the city, the gastro-enteritis cases admitted till this morning to the GT Hospital in south Mumbai have gone upto 162 and more people are coming in to get admitted," the Dean of J J Group of Hospitals Dr P Shingare told sources.

Denying the reports of cholera outbreak in the city, he said, "We have sent the blood samples of 50 suspect cases and the reports are still awaited. Only then can we say anything on that," Shingare said.

However, state health officials said preliminary laboratory tests of the samples with hanging-drop method have tested positive for cholera.

The number of cases in St. George Hospital have gone up to 28 while admissions to Corporation-run Kasturba Hospital are at 16 till this morning, health officals said.

Six patients in J J Hospital and seven in Cama Hospital are also undergoing treatment for gastro, the hospital sources said.

Nair Hospital in south Mumbai has prepared a 100-bed ward for new cases, the hospital sources said.

The patients complained of vomiting and diarrhoea, officials said, adding that condition of most patients is stable and they would be discharged in a day or two.

Most of the patients in the hospitals are from the Crawford Market area in South Mumbai where contamination of drinking water by sewage has been suspected, the BMC sources said.