Diarrhoea outbreak hit the city of Patiala on Monday as Udham Singh Nagar, falling in Jhill area, reported 31 such cases, including a death. Of them, four patients have been hospitalised. The deceased is said to be a 25-year-old migrant worker. This is the second diarrhoea outbreak in the district over the past 48 hours as Patran town’s ward number 15 saw 32 persons falling ill on Sunday. The Patran patients’ number rose to 50 with 18 fresh cases on Monday.
Dr Divjot Singh, district epidemiologist, said a 25-year-old migrant worker died of suspected diarrhoea. A post-mortem examination would be conducted to ascertain the exact reason behind the death. He said a house-to-house survey has been conducted by accredited social health activists (ASHA) and other health staff in the affected area.
“We have collected nine water samples. Stool samples of the diarrhoea patients are being collected. Residents have been advised to drink boiled water. ORS, along with chorine and zinc tablets, have been distributed by health staff to control the further spread of the disease,” said Dr Divjot Singh.
The Jhill area has been continuously reporting diarrhoea outbreaks over the past few years and has been a hotspot.
Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh chaired a meeting with district health officials and the deputy commissioner to take stock of the situation. Patiala deputy commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray said the affected areas were being provided potable water via water tanks and water samples had already been collected. “Jhill area has been prone to diarrhoea outbreak given the old record. I have asked the municipal commissioner to look into the matter to ensure no such cases in future,” said Ahmad.
The health minister said, “The department of local bodies has to ensure potable water supply to the residents. We are coordinating with the stakeholder departments, including the local bodies and water supply and sanitation department, to ensure that no diarrhoea outbreak takes place in future. The diarrhoea outbreak happens when potable water gets mixed with sewage.”
{{/usCountry}}The health minister said, “The department of local bodies has to ensure potable water supply to the residents. We are coordinating with the stakeholder departments, including the local bodies and water supply and sanitation department, to ensure that no diarrhoea outbreak takes place in future. The diarrhoea outbreak happens when potable water gets mixed with sewage.”
{{/usCountry}}The minister further stated that in Patran, people were using hydraulic ram water pumps which sometimes mixes sewage water with drinking water due to negative suction.
Dr Gurchandan Singh, medical officer of the Jhill area, said, “We have immediately referred serious patients to higher health institutes. We are continuing with house-to-house survey in the area to identify more diarrhoea patients.”
More cases in Patran
With 18 fresh cases in ward 15 of Patran, the total diarrhoea cases rose to 50 on Monday. Health officials claimed that the situation was under control, citing a decline in the number of hospitalisations. Only six diarrhoea patients were hospitalised over the past 24 hours, said health officials.