2 die, 11 others fall ill after drinking contaminated water in central Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Two farmers were pronounced dead and 11 others became sick in central Cambodia's Kampong Chhnang province after drinking water suspicious of contaminating with pesticide residues, Health Ministry's spokeswoman Or Vandine said on Friday.

The incident occurred in a rural village in Teuk Pos district on Tuesday when they went to harvest their rice crops and collected water from a small pond to drink during their lunchtime, she said, adding that the farmers were unaware that a nearby watermelon grower had just washed his pesticide container in the pond before that.

"A few hours after drinking the contaminated water, some of them had vomit, headache, dizziness, fatigue and breathing difficulty," Vandine told reporters.

"Two people had subsequently died and 11 others, including one in serious condition, had been hospitalized at the Kampong Chhnang provincial hospital," she added.

According to the spokeswoman, by Friday evening, 10 patients had recovered and left the hospital for their respective houses.