Hospitals across Barishal are witnessing an alarming rise in diarrhoea cases, prompting serious concern among health officials over the increasing number of patients.

At Barishal General Hospital, the diarrhoea ward paints a grim picture. Around 40 patients are currently receiving treatment, despite the ward having a capacity of just 12 beds.

Among them is Akhi Begum, a pregnant woman from Bhola, who was admitted on Thursday with severe symptoms. Anis Hawlader from Gouranadi upazila brought his 10-year-old daughter Aliza to the hospital after she developed diarrhoea from consuming contaminated food.

Dr Moloy Krishna Baral, resident medical officer at the hospital, said they have been admitting 30 to 40 diarrhoea patients daily since before Eid-ul-Fitr. "The diarrhoea ward is currently overcrowded," he said.

According to the Barishal divisional health office, the situation is deteriorating rapidly, with an average of 500 to 600 new patients being admitted daily across the division. Over 3,000 new cases have been recorded in the past week alone.

Since January, more than 23,000 patients have been treated for diarrhoea in the division, with over 11,000 hospital admissions reported in March.

Health authorities warned that the ongoing heatwave could further exacerbate the outbreak, describing the situation as "alarming". Zianagar upazila in Pirojpur district has been identified as a hotspot for the outbreak.

Officials said most of the cases have resulted from the consumption of contaminated water and food. They urged the public to maintain proper hygiene and take necessary precautions, stressing that diarrhoea is preventable through awareness.

Dr Shyamal Krishna Mondal, divisional health director, acknowledged the sharp rise in patients but said there was room for cautious optimism.

"The positive news is that most patients are recovering quickly. We still have sufficient saline supplies, and any shortages are promptly addressed with support from nearby districts or upazilas. So far, there have been no fatalities due to diarrhoea," he said.