A total of 1,401 diarrhoea patients were admitted to the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) in 32 hours till 8am today.

At least 44 diarrhoea patients were admitted to the hospital per hour during these 32 hours. The outbreak of diarrhoea has been going on for more than a week, according to icddr,b officials.

"Patients are being treated by setting up tents on the hospital premises to cope with the extra rush," AKM Tariful Islam Khan, media manager of icddr,b, said. To avoid diarrhoea, Baharul Alam, the hospital's director, advised drinking pure water and avoiding roadside food.

He said around 400 to 500 diarrhoea patients visit the clinic every day for treatment. However, an average of 500 patients were admitted every day in the first week of March this year, rising to 600 in the second week. Since March 16, the number of patients admitted each day has surpassed 1,000.