KENDRAPARA: At least 44 people have been hospitalised following a suspected gastroenteritis outbreak in several villages under Aul block here, prompting the Health department to launch emergency measures to contain the spread of the water-borne disease.
The affected people, most of them from Lokapada, Chandiagadi, Giribandha, Padanapur and Demala villages, were admitted to Aul community health centre (CHC) on Wednesday and Thursday. The patients, including six women and eight children, complained of vomiting, stomach cramps, loose motion and general weakness, said medical officer of Aul CHC Dr Pranab Shukla.
Following the outbreak, a medical team from the district headquarters hospital visited the affected villages on Thursday and collected water and stool samples, which have been sent to a laboratory in Cuttack for examination.
Additional district medical officer (ADMO) Dr Shyamasundar Tudu said the Health department has launched an awareness campaign in the affected villages and advised residents to consume only boiled drinking water. Health workers are distributing ORS packets and conducting door-to-door visits to identify fresh cases.
“The situation is under control and health officials are maintaining close surveillance. Medical teams have been instructed to report any new development immediately,” he said and added that cases of gastroenteritis and other digestive ailments typically increase during the monsoon due to contaminated food and water.
Doctors suspect that contaminated water from uncovered wells and storage tanks in the villages may have triggered the outbreak. Health officials said preventive medicines have been distributed, adequate stocks of essential drugs are available at hospitals, and villagers have been advised to maintain proper hygiene, wash their hands regularly, consume boiled water and eat properly cooked food.
Meanwhile, villagers alleged that inadequate supply of safe drinking water has forced many rural families to depend on polluted water sources, leading to recurring outbreaks of water-borne diseases during the monsoon. They urged the administration to improve drinking water facilities and intensify preventive measures to prevent further spread of the disease.