55 more taken ill, 5 with acute diarrhoea

CHANDIGARH: At least 55 more residents of Sector 18 took ill, five of them with acute diarrhoea, today. With these fresh cases, the number of residents who have taken ill over the past three days due to contaminated water in Sector 18 has crossed the 450 mark, according to the UT Health Department report.

Residents collect water from a tank of the Municipal Corporation at Sector 18, Chandigarh, on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: NITIN MITTAL

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 22

At least 55 more residents of Sector 18 took ill, five of them with acute diarrhoea, today. With these fresh cases, the number of residents who have taken ill over the past three days due to contaminated water in Sector 18 has crossed the 450 mark, according to the UT Health Department report. However, the number is likely to be higher as several ailing residents might have approached hospitals or private healthcare professionals individually, said officials of the Health Department.

The number of patients could also rise as the Health Department will conduct more surveys tomorrow.

Dr Rakesh Kashyap, Director, Health Services (DHS), said a team of the Health Department, comprising field workers and an epidemiologist, Dr Inderpal Singh, conducted surveys at 136 houses in Sector 18-D today.

The team also collected five water samples for an indicator test, the report of which is expected tomorrow. He added that a mobile van of the department had been stationed at Sector 18-C with two doctors and health workers. Medicines were provided to patients on the spot, which included ORS, antibiotics and zinc tablets.

SPEAKING OUT

The authorities are careless. They act only when things go out of control, which is very unfortunate. — Kamaljit Singh Panchhi

Water contamination could have been prevented had the authorities not been negligent. They do not carry out checks on a regular basis, that is why incidents like these occur. — Sanjay Puri

So many people have taken ill, all due to the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities. Such incidents are totally avoidable only if the authorities concerned perform their duties properly. — Arun Kumar