Cholera outbreak in Budhanpur area; diarrhoea cases rise to 391

Panchkula, June 1

The District Health Department has reported a cholera outbreak in the city’s Budhanpur area. The department confirmed three cases of cholera on Saturday. The total number of cases of diarrhoea in the area has climbed to 391. According to officials of the Health Department, the outbreak is due to contamination in the drinking water of the area. Officials of the department said cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

Officials of the department said the cases of diarrhoea in Budhanpur village have been increasing every day. The cases were first reported on May 24 and the area initially reported over 80 to 85 cases in a single day. They said the total count reached 391 on Saturday; however, the number of new cases has seen a drop.

The District Surveillance Officer of the Panchkula Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, Dr Suresh Bhonsle, said 16 new patients with diarrhoea were identified during the screening on Saturday.

He said, “We surveyed 445 households today, and we have covered the whole village almost three times already. To date, 3,519 houses have been surveyed and no deaths have been reported.”

He said the department has collected 26 samples of drinking water and 20 samples of stool for testing, adding that these three stool samples have been confirmed for cholera.

He said the health department has been holding camps in the village. “Water samples have been checked. The outbreak is due to the contamination of drinking water in the area. We are carrying-out announcements in the village for people to get themselves checked. We have also written to allied departments — HSVP and DC office — regarding the outbreak and sample reports.”

Meanwhile, the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) has stated there were no lapses in its water supply pipelines.

HSVP Superintending Engineer (SE), Rajesh Sharma, said they had taken and checked water samples from government pipelines. “We have the reports. The samples passed the quality test.”

He said the HSVP provides individual connections to houses, and the plot owners in the colony have created multiple water connections within the plotted area. “At places, the internal water supply pipeline in the plots also goes through the sewerage manholes. The supply pipes get rusted and develop holes, which results in contamination of drinking water due to the mixing of sewer water,” he said.

He said the department’s water samples passed the quality check, and it is still carrying out chlorination of drinking water regularly. “We are also providing potable water through tankers.

Sharma said the HSVP’s provides potable water in the area from the Kajoli waterworks. “The same water is supplied to the Sector 16 residential area as well, where there is no contamination. We are also providing water through three tubewells in the area.”