SAMBALPUR: The fear of 2014-like jaundice outbreak has come back to grip people of Sambalpur as cases are beginning to trickle in from various parts of the city.
As many as 18 cases of jaundice have been reported from different localities in recent days. The cases have been reported from Chandan Nagar, Bangalipadam Kamlibazar, Gingrapada, Amripada and Mudipada areas. Consumption of contaminated water is being attributed as the primary reason behind the outbreak.
Additional District Medical Officer (ADMO), Public Health, Ashok Dash said of the 18 fresh cases, 17 have tested positive for Hepatitis-A and one for Hepatitis-E. Stating that contaminated water led to the outbreak, he said consumption of unhygienic food might also be a reason. Drinking water pipelines pass through drains in several parts of the city and leak in these pipelines contaminate the water.
Dash said that health staff have started sensitising people on taking preventive measures like drinking boiled water and avoiding eating food from roadside eateries. "ASHA workers and members of Mahila Arogya Samitis have been asked to conduct door-to-door awareness drive to make people aware of the preventive measures and keep an eye on the situation in affected areas," the ADMO informed and added that the situation is not alarming but it is essential to sensitise people on the issue.
Meanwhile, the district health authorities have written to the Public Health Engineering Organisation (PHEO) to check the water pipelines in the affected areas.
Last year in September and March, many cases of jaundice were reported from Badsinghari and Burla. Jaundice had claimed more than 30 lives in Sambalpur in 2014 and then too, contamination of drinking water due to leaking pipelines was the primary reason behind the outbreak.