SAMBALPUR: Amid reports of diarrhoea spread in several districts across Odisha, the Sambalpur administration has stepped up surveillance and put in place contingency measures to prevent any outbreak of the waterborne disease.
Though no official diarrhoea cases have been reported in the district so far, authorities are taking no chances, especially in vulnerable areas like Hirakud which witnessed a severe outbreak last year.
Sambalpur CDMO Dr Pradeep Hota said the district has already activated a dedicated control room, and contingency measures have been rolled out to tackle any possible outbreak of the waterborne disease.
Similarly, 20 beds have been reserved for diarrhoea patients at Veer Surendra Sai Insitute of Medical Sciences And Research (VIMSAR), Burla.
As part of preventive action, ASHA workers have been deployed for door-to-door visits to identify early symptoms such as vomiting, loose motion, jaundice, and report suspected cases.
The Public Health and Engineering department, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS), and WATCO have been instructed to conduct daily testing of water samples and distribute bleaching powder in sensitive areas.
Additionally, the food safety officer has been directed to carry out regular inspections of food vendors and eateries across the city to curb contamination risks.