ROURKELA: Nine new diarrhoea cases were reported from Nuadihi village in Sundargarh’s Hemgir block on Monday.
The district administration claimed the situation was returning to normalcy even as health authorities are waiting for the laboratory test reports to ascertain the exact cause of the diarrhoea outbreak in Nuadihi, the hotspot which has so far reported four deaths - two each from Sundargarh and Jharsuguda districts.
Sources at Hemgir community health centre (CHC) said since May 22, Nuadihi village has reported 59 cases including two deaths. The CHC now has a total of nine patients and all are stable.
On the day, Sundargarh collector Subhankar Mohapatra accompanied by chief district medical and public health officer (CDM&PHO) Dr SC Mohanty and joint director (Integrated Disease Control Programme) of the Health department Dr AK Paikray visited Nuadihi to take stock of the situation.
District public health officer Dr Sibasish Maharana said a medical team is camping in the village. Prophylactic medication is being given to villagers who have come in contact with the affected persons. Seven villages near Nuadihi have been put under surveillance and the situation is gradually returning to normalcy, he claimed.
As a precautionary measure and to prevent further spread of the disease, villagers have been educated on safety and hygienic practices. Seven tube wells and one open well of the village have been covered with super chlorination measures.
A village pond used for non-drinking purposes including bathing, washing utensils and clothes has been restricted for use. Villagers have been advised to use water of the open well for non-drinking needs, said Dr Maharana.
Asked if the diarrhoea cases could be related to cholera, he said the sample testing report is awaited. Dr Maharana said villagers were taken ill after attending a post-death ritual feast. Prior to the feast, host Dilip Naik (22) had visited the neighbouring Chhattisgarh to distribute invitation cards. After returning to Nuadihi, he suffered from loose motion but continued to get involved in the preparations for the feast on May 21.
Primary reason for the outbreak appears to be gastroenteritis from food poisoning. However, preventive measures are aimed at fighting cholera, he added.