Hirakud residents infected with Diarrhoea, 150 affected

CDMO says test reports suggest contamination due to faecal content in supply water, SDO of PHED denies claims
While 28 of them got discharged after treatment, eight were admitted to Hirakud urban community health centre (UCHC).

Panic gripped residents of Hirakud town in the district after around 150 cases of diarrhoea were reported in the last three days.

While health authorities are scrambling to contain the situation, the cause of the sudden outbreak is being attributed to contamination in supply water.

The outbreak was first confirmed on Thursday with 36 cases reported from five localities of Hirakud including Gurudwara Pada, Goudpada, Kalopada, New Market Colony and Machpada. While 28 of them got discharged after treatment, eight were admitted to Hirakud urban community health centre (UCHC).

Though more cases were reported in the next two days, the death of a 45-year-old patient suspectedly of diarrhoea while undergoing treatment on Saturday spread panic among locals. Sources said, a majority of the patients were discharged soon after treatment, while seven persons are undergoing treatment at Hirakud UCHC and six at VIMSAR, Burla.

The district Health department has swung into action and is undertaking door-to-door surveillance to identify potential cases besides collecting water samples from affected areas and rectal swabs of patients. Similarly, while mobile health units have been sent to the affected areas for timely medical attention, rapid response teams (RRTs) are engaged for analysis of the situation.

Chief district medical officer (CDMO), Sambalpur Sujata Rani Mishra said the situation is under control. “The diarrhoea might have spread due to contamination of PHED water as we have found faecal content in our test reports. The supply water was much likely either not properly treated or got contaminated through some leakage. We have already written about it to the district collector and the PHED,” she added.

Meanwhile, sub-divisional officer of PHED Gulshan Sahu denied claims of contamination of water. “We have tested samples of nine localities on Friday and the parameters were found to be within limits. More samples have been collected from other localities and another team is checking for leakage in the supply system,” he added.

The CDMO also informed that the primary cause of death of the deceased patient was not diarrhoea. The patient was already suffering from liver cirrhosis and had other complications.

Asked about the mismatch in water test reports of the two departments, district collector Akshay Sunil Agrawal said he has ordered for a joint verification by the Public Health department and the medical team. “There is no need to panic. The RRT are continuously monitoring the situation. Temporary toilets and medicine supply have been arranged at the UCHC and hospital and the situation is under control,” he informed.

CURRENT SCENARIO

• 36 cases of diarrhoea reported on Thursday, more cases recorded in next two days
• Health dept undertaking door-to-door surveillance, collecting water samples, rectal swabs
• Mobile health units, rapid response teams deployed in affected areas for timely action
• As per CDMO, faecal particles found in water samples likely to have caused the outbreak
• PHED sub-divisional officer denied claims of water contamination, said checking of leakage in supply system on