Diarrhoea cases decline in Mauli Jagran

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21

A day after the Health Department had issued a report which proved that water contamination had led to the diarrhoea outbreak in Mauli Jagran five days ago, the cases have finally began to decline in the area.

Nearly 10 cases of mild diarrhoea were reported on Thursday, taking the count to total 171 patients. On the other hand, Health Department teams continue to conduct their field visits.

The teams on Thursday visited nearly 100 houses. Besides distributing chlorine tablets, the teams also collected samples of the water stored in the houses.

According to the health official, the real worry is about the water stored in the houses. “There is a huge scarcity of water and we fear that people may have stored contaminated water. We went to the houses and advised people to clean their water tanks and store fresh water,” said a health department employee while conducting the survey.

On June 18, the Health Department had collected water samples from five tube wells which are used for supplying water to Mauli Jagran and surrounding areas. 

The water samples were sent to the Integrated 

Disease Surveillance Programme, District Priority Lab (IDSP-DPL) in Mani Majra.

In tube well no. 4, the contamination count, which should be less than one point of most probable number (MPN), turned out to be 180 MPN. The MPN is a testing method to analyse the concentration of micro organisms in the water sample. The report was shared with the MC and the Director, Health Services, Dr G Dewan.

The test report had put the civic authorities on the back foot. The MC was maintaining that the water supplied to the area was fit for drinking. The civic body was blaming other causes behind the outbreak.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation snapped the water supply of tube well no. 4, the water of which was found to be grossly contaminated. Today, the Municipal Corporation team collected two samples, one from the water pipe and another from the tube well and sent it for testing at the District Priority Lab in Mani Majra hospital. The two samples have been sent to ascertain the cause and area of contamination.