Bhubaneswar: Panic gripped the capital city after 12 persons from a slum area were found afflicted with jaundice on Thursday.
The outbreak of jaundice came to light after a Mobile Health Unit team tested the blood samples of 30 persons of Jharana slum of ward No-53 near Naveen Nivas of which 12 tested positive for the water borne virus.
Talking to media persons, Dr. Deben Das, Additional District Medical Officer (ADMO), Public Health Unit, said a Mobile Health Unit (MHU) team had visited the slum in the morning and identified 12 persons affected by jaundice after examining their blood samples.
“Following information, we had come to the slum for an on-the-spot survey and found that the people are using well water though pipe water is available in the locality. We have made them aware of the disease and provided them with halogen tablets to purify the water,” he added.
The ADMO also informed that last year, 62 persons in Damana area of the city had tested positive of which 22 patients were identified in August and 40 during November and December.
“After taking preventive measures, there is no instance of jaundice outbreak in the locality,” he claimed.
Referring to the outbreak of Jaundice in Jharana slum, Das said the department had engaged 107 Health Workers and 90 ASHA workers to make people aware of the disease and ways to prevent it.
Talking to OTV, a woman of the slum said the pipe water is polluted. When kept in a container, its colour turns yellow after some time.
Another person, who is suffering from jaundice, said while the Public Health officials have told the people not to use the well water as it is polluted, he has come to know that the pipe water is also contaminated as there is a leakage in the underground pipe. “Which one should I believe as true?" he asked.