28 more diarrhoea cases in Sector 18

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 23

At least 28 more residents of Sector 18 were reported to be suffering from diarrhoea on Monday, including 15 from Sector 18-A and 13 from Sector 18-B. 

With this, the total number of residents who have taken ill over the last four days due to water contamination in Sector 18 has reached 480, according to a UT Health Department report. The number of patients is expected to rise with the Health Department deciding to continue its surveys tomorrow.

Dr Rakesh Kashyap, Director, Health Services (DHS), said a team of the Health Department, comprising field workers, including epidemiologist Dr Inderpal Singh, conducted a survey covering at 142 houses in Sector 18-A and B today. 

“These are the cases which reported an old history of diarrhoea. All were mild cases,” informed Dr Inderpal.

The team collected four samples of water from the houses surveyed, the report of which is expected tomorrow. The team also lifted samples from two tubewells in Sector 18-A and 18-B for the multi-culture test.

The DHS added that a mobile van of the Health Department was also stationed at Sector 18-A in the morning and moved to 18-B in the afternoon for the convenience of the residents. The van had two doctors and health workers. Medicines were provided to patients, which included ORS, antibiotics and zinc tablets.