In yet another suspected case of cholera outbreak in Zirakpur, 60 people have been infected with diarrhoea at Sukhna Colony near Dhakoli.
In the past two months, around 700 people have been infected and two have died due to cholera outbreak at Baltana and Peermuchalla village in Zirakpur.
As the Zirakpur municipal council is desperately trying to check water contamination that is leading to these outbreaks, the fresh cases come as a major embarrassment because Sukhna Colony is located next to its office.
“Sixty cases of diarrhoea have been reported at Sukhna Colony. Twenty patients have been admitted to hospitals in Chandigarh, Mohali, Dhakoli and Panchkula,” said Mohali civil surgeon Adarsh Pal Kaur. The health department has set up a camp in the area for the past two days and is distributing chlorine and zinc tablets along with oral rehydration salts from door to door.
Water supply to Sukhna Colony and nearby areas has been stopped, said Udayveer Singh Dhillon, president, Zirakpur municipal council, adding that two tankers have been deployed to provide drinking water. Water samples have also been collected for testing.
Diarrhoea is the frequent passing of loose, watery and unformed faeces. Cholera is a bacterial disease causing severe diarrhoea and dehydration, usually spread through contaminated water. The infection is often mild or without symptoms but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.
{{/usCountry}}Diarrhoea is the frequent passing of loose, watery and unformed faeces. Cholera is a bacterial disease causing severe diarrhoea and dehydration, usually spread through contaminated water. The infection is often mild or without symptoms but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.
{{/usCountry}}Water contamination, again
Sources in the health department said that there is no proper drainage system in the area, which is leading to mixing of sewage with drinking water.
“The area is very congested and people are living in unhygienic conditions. Contamination of drinking water is the reason for spread of disease,” said the civil surgeon.
Rohit Sharma, husband of the area councillor, said water pipelines were damaged during digging for laying a sewage pipeline. “It led to contamination of drinking water,” he said, adding that residents were informed not to use water during the work, but they did not heed to the directions.
“Many people are also using submersible pumps to get water. We are getting water samples collected, and in case contamination is found, steps will be taken,” said Dhillon.