Diarrhoea outbreak in Odisha claims 4 lives, over 500 affected

Bhubaneswar: A diarrhoea outbreak in Odisha's Jajpur district has claimed four lives and affected over 500 people, officials said on Wednesday.

A 70-year-old man was declared dead on arrival at the Vyasanagar Hospital, while a 34-year-old died at the Danagadi Community Health Centre, District Collector P Anvesha Reddy said, news agency PTI reported.

Among the worst-hit areas are Dharamsala, Jajpur, Danagadi, Korei and Rasulpur blocks, where hospitals are overwhelmed with patients showing gastrointestinal symptoms, officials said.

According to a media report in The New Indian Express, Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer (CDM&PHO) Dr Prakash Bal said Pabitra Das (45) of Baruan and Sebati Ghadei (75) of Malapada under Jajpur block were shifted from Jajpur to SCB MCH while their condition deteriorated and they died during treatment.

The waterborne disease was initially detected in Dharmasala on Monday night, they said.

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More than 20 critically ill patients were sent to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Director of Public Health Nilakantha Mishra said.

Health Secretary Aswathy S said a multi-sectoral team has been sent to the district to identify the cause behind the outbreak.

A team of doctors have also been sent to the district to ensure proper treatment of patients, while the district administration has also mobilised additional manpower to the hospitals, she said.

The collector, meanwhile, visited the hospitals where the diarrhoea patients are undergoing treatment, and urged the people to consume only boiled or disinfected water.

Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Prakash Chandra Bal said house-to-house surveys were being conducted in the affected villages.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, the Director of Public Health Dr Nilakantha Mishra, said, Food and water samples have been collected from the affected areas and sent for tests. “The test reports are awaited. Efforts are on to provide immediate treatment and control the outbreak”.

"Accompanied by ASHA and Anganwadi workers, the state-level team is meeting families of patients and collecting water and stool samples to help determine the outbreak's source," he said, reports PTI.

Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) teams are working on disinfection of drinking water sources, officials said.

ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and multi-purpose health workers have been supplied with halogen tablets, medicines, ORS packets and awareness materials for distribution among the people, they said.

People have been advised to take all precautionary measures and adhere to hygienic practices, they added.

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