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Death of Kushtia Kid

It was rotten watermelon No chemical found

Staff Correspondent
Researchers have found no chemical in watermelon, consumption of which was thought to have caused the death of a child and illness to 29 others in Kushtia last month.
"We didn't find any chemical in the fruit, but there was entero-aggressive E coli in only two samples," Prof Mahmudur Rahman, director of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), told newsmen at his office in the capital yesterday.
He said bacterial contamination in rotten and odorous watermelons might have caused diarrhoea, abdominal cramp, vomiting and dehydration to those who ate the fruit at Kalua village under Kumarkhali upazilain Kushtiaon April 19.
Nine-year-old Smrity Khatun, daughter of Askar Ali, died the next day.
"The kid might have died from dehydration as it was over 24 hours and she did not have any treatment for diarrhoea. It could be because all of her family members got sick," mentioned Mahmudur.
A garment worker in Dhaka, Askar had bought the watermelon from the railway market in Kumarkhali on his way home from the capital. His family members shared the fruit with some neighbours.
After falling sick, some were sent to Kushtia Medical College Hospital, where Smrity died. The others were taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
On April 21, the IEDCR collected blood samples of 22 patients, urine from 14 and stool from 13. Samples of leftover watermelon and some other watermelons of the same batch were also collected for tests.
Diagnostic tests were conducted at the National Food Safety Laboratory of the Institute of Public Health. It also
tested watermelon samples from another similar incident in Manikganj where nine people fell sick after consuming the fruit on April 22.
The IEDCR director said tests did not find the presence of any formalin, organo-phosphorus, artificial dye or organo-chlorine compounds.
However, tests detected bacterial growth in watermelon, but could not specify the species. Further tests are being conducted to be sure about the species, he added.
Prof Mahmudur suggested cleaning watermelons before eating, and cautioned against not consuming rotten, cracked, and odorous fruits.