Bhawanipatna: Cases of Jaundice continue to pile up in Bhawanipatna town of Kalahandi district with more than a dozen of fresh incidents reported from Bahadur Bagichapada area on Thursday.
According to sources, even as many as 17 persons have been reportedly tested positive for the dread water borne disease today after 21 cases were earlier reported on April 1, the administration has geared up to battle the pressing situation.
A team of health experts are taking stock of the situation in the area to provide medication to the people. Health camps have been organised spread awareness on the disease. Affected patients are currently undergoing treatment at district headquarters hospital. Cleaning drive and sanitation programmes have been taken up on a war footing, the district health department said. Blood samples have also been sent for laboratory tests.
“People are being informed to through announcement and flex messages. We have sent a team to access the ground zero scenario and ready to provide utmost medical care so that the outbreak can be stopped,” Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Braja Kishore Brahma said.
Such swift rise in cases of infection have triggered panic among the local residents as in less than a week more than 30 persons have tested positive.
Following the reports of the outbreak, the Public Health Engineering Department have been supplying clean drinking water through water tankers. Besides, old damages pipelines have been replaced by new ones and water is also being supplied through them.
Consumption of unclean water is being attributed as the main reason behind the outbreak. With drinking water becoming scarce during summer, many residing in slum areas depend on ponds for drinking water which is generally polluted. Similarly, old worn out pipelines also pose threat since they leak and contaminate with infected polluted water.