Two more die of diarrhoea in Odisha's Jajpur, toll rises to four
The highest number of cases has been reported from Dharmasala, which reported the first diarrhoea outbreak on Monday night following a community feast. A day later, more diarrhoea cases were reported from several villages in the neighbouring blocks, prompting the Health department to depute two state-level rapid action teams to the affected areas.
Although no exact cause of the outbreak has been ascertained, local health officials said, community feasts, consumption of rotten mangoes and jackfruits and water contamination could be the primary reasons.
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,' he told The New Indian Express.
Dr Mishra, along with two rapid action teams consisting of medical officers, microbiologists, epidemiologists and the joint director of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, visited the areas and monitored treatment in coordination with the CDM&PHO.
Specialists from Maharaja Jajati Keshari Medical College and Hospital, Jajpur are looking into the treatment of the critical cases, while six medicine specialists from SCB MCH have also been deputed to the district.
Separate teams comprising ASHA and anganwadi workers have been engaged to conduct door-to-door surveys and distribute ORS pouches, halogen tablets, medicines and awareness materials in the affected villages. The teams of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) wing have been engaged in disinfection of drinking water sources.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Statewide disinfection & cleanliness drive to prevent water & vector-borne diseases
1 2 Bhubaneswar: In a bid to prevent diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases, state govt launched a weeklong special disinfection and cleanliness drive on Friday, covering 12,155 villages and hamlets on the first day. Food safety teams inspected 59 bottling plants and 1,802 eateries/restaurants on Friday and imposed fines of Rs 2.22 lakh on violators. So far, 22 bottling plants and 24 hotels/restaurants in the state have been sealed during the enforcement drive, the health and family welfare department said in an official statement on Saturday. The drive, being carried out by the health and family welfare and panchayati raj and drinking water departments, will continue up to July 11, covering all villages, health facilities, public places, drinking water sources and small water bodies used by people. For the drive, 18 special teams comprising senior officers have been constituted. "The teams are entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring ground-level implementation and real-time monitoring of the drive. Each officer is assigned two districts for field-level monitoring and supportive supervision," said the statement. The teams are also overseeing and guiding activities related to combating acute diarrhoeal disease, malaria and dengue. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is your tinnitus getting worse? Do this immediately (Watch) Hearing Magazine Undo All teams are moving in their assigned districts with a specially designed checklist-based approach to ensure uniformity and accountability in public health interventions, official sources said. On the first day, around 55,009 tube wells, 77,334 dug wells, 98,009 piped water supply sources, 4,823 overhead tanks/water sumps, and 1,120 other water sources like ponds/streams were disinfected. Deep cleaning was done in 4,436 health facilities, 10,251 sample tests conducted to determine the water quality, and over 5.18 lakh ORS packets along with 7.47 lakh halazone tablets were distributed on Friday. Food safety teams also seized 2.87 quintals of stale food on Friday. Till July 4, around Rs 18 lakh in fines has been collected from violators. Panchayati raj institution (PRI) members, villagers, community leaders and ground-level volunteers have been actively involved in the drive aimed at safeguarding public health and preventing seasonal water and vector-borne diseases, official sources said. Health secretary Aswathy S and panchayati raj secretary Girish S N urged the field-level officials to ensure 100% disinfection/cleanliness by July 11.
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Time of India
Nipah: 425 on contact list, fever surveillance to be held
T'puram/ Kozhikode: There are a total of 425 people, including healthcare workers, on the Nipah contact list in state, said health minister Veena George on Saturday. National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, confirmed that death of 18-year-old girl from Chettiyarangadi, in Malappuram, on July 1 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kozhikode was due to Nipah infection. A 38-year-old woman from Thachanattukara, in Palakkad, who also tested positive, is battling for life at Moulana Hospital, Perinthalmanna. Meanwhile, the central surveillance unit of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is in close contact with the state unit and is actively monitoring the situation after two Nipah virus cases were detected by Kerala IDSP. According to official sources, the deployment of a national joint outbreak response team is being considered. In Malappuram, there are 228 people, 110 in Palakkad and 87 people in Kozhikode on the contact list. Twelve persons are under treatment in Malappuram, with five in the ICU. One person on the contact list tested negative. In Palakkad, one person is under isolation treatment. There are 61 healthcare workers on the contact list in Palakkad. In Kozhikode district, all 87 people on the contact list are healthcare workers. Instructions have been given to conduct fever surveillance in the area, said George. Those on the contact list in Palakkad should be isolated there, she said. "Mental support should be ensured. Ambulances, including Kaniv 108, are on standby. Instructions have been given to intensify efforts to identify the source," said a statement issued after a high-level review meeting held on Saturday. No new person with symptoms in Malappuram Meanwhile, Malappuram district health administration intensified the surveillance programme in various parts of four panchayats. A special team conducted inspections in 20 wards of Makkaraparamba, Kuruva, Koottilangadi and Mankada panchayats. According to health authorities, more than 60 special health squads visited 1,655 houses in these panchayats on Saturday. No individuals with symptoms were identified in the survey conducted in these regions. With the confirmation of Nipah virus presence, four panchayats have already been declared as containment zones. Restrictions are in place in various wards of these panchayats. Authorities informed that in the containment zones, public gatherings should be avoided, wearing masks in public places is mandatory, gatherings should be minimised, commercial establishments are allowed to operate only from 8am to 6pm and educational institutions should remain closed. Awareness campaigns were conducted about Nipah prevention methods.
The Hindu
17 hours ago
- The Hindu
Nipah virus: 425 people under observation as Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode put on high alert
As many as 425 people entered the contact lists of two Nipah-infected persons in Kerala — 228 of them in Malappuram district, 110 in Palakkad and 87 in Kozhikode. The health machinery across these districts have been put on high alert as the Health department is battling to prevent the spread of Nipah. While an adolescent girl from Makkaraparamba near Malappuram succumbed to the deadly virus on June 1, a 38-year-old woman from Thachanattukara in Palakkad district is battling for life at Moulana Hospital in Perinthalmanna. Twelve persons are currently undergoing treatment in Malappuram — five of them in intensive care unit. However, one of them tested negative for the infection. The results of the others are awaited. In Palakkad, one person who came in contact with the infected woman is being treated in isolation. Of the 110 people in the contact list in Palakkad, 61 are health workers. In Kozhikode, all 87 on the list are health workers. The Health Department will soon begin a fever survey of houses within 3-km radius of the infected persons at Makkaraparamba and Thachanattukara. Health Minister Veena George on Saturday said that psychological assistance should be given to those on the contact lists. Meanwhile, the Health Department intensified its efforts to find the source of the Nipah virus that infected the two persons. Health officials began a surveillance in 20 wards of Makkaraparamba, Kuruva, Koottilangadi and Mankada panchayats in Malappuram district, and six wards of Thachanattukara and Karimpuzha panchayats in Palakkad district. Sixty-five teams of health officials visited 1,655 houses in Malappuram. They found none with the symptoms of the infection. People were advised to remain cautious. Deputy district medical officer N.N. Pameeli, technical assistants C.K. Suresh Kumar and M. Shahul Hameed, and epidemiologist D. Kiran Raj led the survey. A 10-year-old boy, a relative of the Nipah-infected woman at Thachanattukara, was hospitalised with high fever. Doctors said they were closely monitoring his condition. Palakkad District Collector Priyanka G. warned people against violating the regulations in the containment zones. A 24x7 control room was opened to deal with the situation, and 26 outbreak response committees were formed by including specialist doctors of Government Medical College, Palakkad, and senior government officials. Also read: Nipah restrictions in 20 wards in Malappuram, 6 in Palakkad For the health officials in Malappuram district, the Nipah protocols are familiar as the district had witnessed three back-to-back Nipah cases within a year. While a 14-year-old boy died of Nipah infection near Pandikkad on July 21, 2024, a 24-year-old man died at Wandoor two months later. In May this year, a 42-year-old woman from Valanchery tested positive. Although she survived the deadly virus, she is yet to completely recover.
