Diarrhoea claims 7 lives, 71 hospitalised in Odisha

Bhubaneshwar: A diarrhoea outbreak in Odisha has taken at least six lives and hospitalised 71 after they consumed contaminated water from open sources in some villages of Rayagada district, PTI reported.

Officials informed that the Kashipur block registered the deaths in the past three days. The water-borne disease was first reported in Maliguda village and later in Dudukabahal, Tikiri, Gobrighati, Routghati and Jalakhura villages. People from Dangasil, Renga, Hadiguda, Maikanch, Sankarada and Kuchipadar villages also contracted the disease and are in treatment at home, they said.

A team of 11 doctors went to the affected villages and collected water and blood samples, sending them for examination.

Meanwhile, the incident has made a stir in the state assembly, with the Opposition Congress demanding Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's statement.

Of the 71 in treatment, 46 are in Tikiri Public Health Centre (PHC), 14 in Kashipur Community Health Centre and 11 girls of an ashram school in Thatibar PHC. One patient was shifted to SLN Medical College, Koraput, after his condition deteriorated.

Rayagada District Collector Swadha Dev Singh, along with Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr Lalmohan Routray, visited the medical establishments and enquired about the health condition of the patients.

The CDMO said that water in an open well in Maliguda, where the disease was first reported, was found to be contaminated, and authorities concerned have been asked to arrange for alternate sources of water for the villages.

Water sources in other villages will also be identified and treated, the official said.

Kashipur block has a history of water-borne diseases. Nearly 100 people died due to diarrhoea in 2008, while Cholera had also claimed around 100 lives in 2010.

The issue was raised during the Zero Hour in the Assembly, with Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra demanding a statement from Patnaik.

He alleged that those who died could also have contracted diarrhoea after eating wild fruits due to a lack of foodgrains.

Congress whip Taraprasad Bahinipati claimed that many families are denied foodgrains under PDS as they have lost their ration cards.

Congress MLAs rushed to the well of the House, demanding a ruling from the Speaker seeking a statement from the chief minister.

Unable to run the Assembly, Speaker B K Arukha first adjourned the House for 10 minutes and later for 15 minutes.

Congress' agitation, however, ended after the Speaker asked the parliamentary affairs minister to issue a statement in the House on the incident on Monday.