A laboratory test has confirmed that the diarrhoea outbreak in Indore, which has claimed at least four lives and affected more than 1,400 people, was caused by contaminated drinking water, officials said on Thursday.
The outbreak was traced to Bhagirathpura area, where leakage in a main drinking water pipeline led to contamination, according to Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani.
The test report was prepared by a city-based medical college, though detailed findings were not disclosed.
Officials said the leakage occurred near a police outpost, at a spot where a toilet had been constructed over the pipeline, allowing sewage to mix with the drinking water supply.
Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Dubey said the entire water supply network in Bhagirathpura is being examined to check for further leaks.
“After inspection, clean water was supplied to households on Thursday. As a precaution, residents have been advised to boil water before drinking,” he told PTI, adding that fresh samples have been sent for testing.
Dubey said the state government would issue a standard operating procedure (SOP) across Madhya Pradesh to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Health officials said a door-to-door survey of 1,714 households was conducted on Thursday, during which 8,571 people were examined. Of them, 338 people with mild symptoms were treated at home.
Since the outbreak began eight days ago, 272 patients have been hospitalised. So far, 71 have been discharged, while 201 patients remain admitted, including 32 in intensive care units, officials said.