UMERKOTE : An eight-year-old boy died and 32 people were taken ill due to suspected diarrhoea at the remote tribal village of Kendughat under Tohra panchayat in Nabarangpur’s Umerkote block on Thursday.
The deceased boy was identified as Udayanath Gouda. According to reports, Gouda and many villagers suddenly fell ill with symptoms of diarrhoea on Thursday evening. Around 20 affected villagers were admitted to the nearby Pujariguda community health centre (CHC).
Gouda’s family members said the boy was a student of Kalegaon school in Jharigaon block and had come home for Ganesh Puja. After he showed diarrhoea symptoms and started vomiting, his family immediately contacted ambulance service. Though an ambulance arrived, it had to reportedly stop about seven km from the village as Kendughat lacks proper road connectivity.
Subsequently, the family had to transport the boy on a motorcycle to reach the ambulance. Family members claimed that Gouda died before he could reach the emergency vehicle. His last rites were performed in the village on Friday.
On being informed about the situation, health teams rushed to Kendughat and started treating the affected villagers. Health workers distributed medicines to villagers exhibiting mild symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting and fever. Considering the severity of the situation, a mobile health unit led by in-charge medical officer of Pujariguda CHC Patitapaban Dwivedi also reached Kendughat. Health checkups of a total of 127 villagers were conducted. Sources said 12 affected villagers are being treated by the health team at the village.
Dwivedi said the cause of the diarrhoea outbreak is yet to be ascertained. Water samples have been collected from all the tube-wells in the village and sent for testing. Besides, stool samples of the affected villagers have been sent for examination. While halogen tablets and ORS packets have been distributed to villagers, bleaching powder was sprayed across Kendughat.
