SAMBALPUR: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday painted a grim picture of a jaundice outbreak at the Vedic College and International School in Sambalpur, claiming that more than 300 students have been affected and several of them shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
These figures and the status of the students, however, could not be independently verified.
The party accused the local administration of failing to act against the institution and demanded immediate intervention to contain the outbreak. In a statement on Tuesday, BJD media coordinator Lenin Mohanty alleged that poor maintenance of the institution could have contributed to the outbreak, suspected to be linked to contaminated drinking water. He also questioned why the administration had not made the water testing report public despite receiving the findings. The BJD demanded that the local administration intervene immediately and take necessary steps to safeguard the students.
Preliminary reports suggest five students were earlier undergoing treatment at a hospital outside the district. Following the spread, the institution had issued a notice asking students to vacate the hostels and return home for quarantine. The exercise reportedly began on October 29, with the management also contacting students who had already left the hostels.
Eventually, a team from the office of the chief district medical and public health officer (CDM&PHO) visited the institution on October 30, inspected the premises and collected drinking water samples for laboratory examination.
CDMO Dr Nilamadhab Satpathy said a committee was probing the incident. Official sources said the number of students hospitalised has gone up to over 30, while several others affected are undergoing treatment at home.
Meanwhile, a health camp was organised on the school premises to examine students and assess the situation. Satpathy said, “We had asked the institution to mobilise 300-400 students for screening. However, only a small number turned up. A team of four doctors conducted the screening camp on Tuesday, and we are yet to receive the report. We have planned to continue the screening drive for three days.” He added that students undergoing treatment are in stable condition.
Sambalpur collector Siddheswar Baliram Bondar could not be reached for comment on the action taken by the administration, the findings of the water sample tests and the suspected source of the outbreak.