Khulna, July 23 -- A total of 589 people have been detected with arsenicosis, a disease caused by drinking and using of water contaminated with arsenic, in the coastal district, showing a slight rise in the number of such patients over the last eight years.

Sources at the local office of the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) said there were 538 arsenicosis patients in 42 unions of all the upazilas in the district in 2011. The number of such patients was 480 in 2003.

The number of patients rose by 51 over the last eight years, they said.

Besides, 15 arsenic-affected people died in the district since 2003.

Arsenic limit set by the government is 50 micrograms per litre while that by the World Health Organization (WHO) is 10 ...