Bhubaneswar: Jaundice has assumed alarming proportions in the Odisha capital as the number of affected persons rose to 50 on Sunday.
According to reports, as many as six persons were today found afflicted with the water borne disease in Kargil slum in the Old Town area of the city.
Till Saturday, maximum numbers of jaundice patients were detected in Jharana slum in the Airport area and near Naveen Nivas where various teams of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) are presently engaged in sanitation drive.
“Earlier, we were feeling good but now we are scared as these water tanks are not in good condition. We have no alternatives it all depends on God,” said Rita Debi, a resident of Kargil slum.
Speaking about the situation, chief medical officer of Public Health Department, Deben Das, said, “We have already detected 50 jaundice cases and our medical team led by Capital Hospital medicine specialist is taking care of the patients. Today, we have conducted liver test of all the patients.”
Ananta Narayan Jena, Mayor of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), who visited the affected areas, told media persons that efforts are on to stop further spread of the disease. “We have already cleaned around 60 to 70 percent areas where the garbage was dumped besides making arrangements to provide piped drinking water to each household,” he added.
Meanwhile, the state government has decided to open a screening camp from today. At least one child specialist and medicine specialist will be in the screening camp which will be headed by a senior office of Public Health department.