Suryap

Puri: In a month since cyclone Fani battered Puri, cholera cases have spiked in the district. As many as 56 persons have been admitted to the Cholera ward of the Puri district headquarters hospital in the past 24 hours.

With symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting, patients from Puri Sadar, Satybadi, Brahmagiri, Kanasa, Delang and Nimapara areas have been admitted to the hospital.

While the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), Amarendra Nath Mohanty cited that contaminated food and water as the reason behind spurt in number of patients suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting, patients and their attendants blamed callousness on the part of the district administration as it failed to create awareness and take measures to prevent the disease outbreak.

"Since morning I have been suffering from loose motions and vomiting. How would we know that the piped water supplied to home is contaminated? Though some hospital staff visited our locality and provided chlorine tablets, it did not make much difference," said Basanti Deo, a patient.

Maheswar Jena, attendant of another patient, said "We suspect that due to contaminated water my relative has fallen ill."

Refuting the claims of an outbreak, the Puri CDMO said due to seasonal changes, people are falling ill.

"Rise in temperature accompanied by lack of electricity could be the reason behind such illness. This apart, an imbalance in environment, stress among people and seasonal changes cause the disease. However, no outbreak or cluster of cases have been reported," the Puri CDMO added.

In past one week, more than 300 patients have been admitted to the hospital complaining of diarrhoea and vomiting.

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