Dirty water may have led to Palwal deaths

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 15

Haryana Health Department’s survey regarding the suspected fever outbreak at Chilli and Chilla villages under Community Health Centre (CHC), Hathin, in Palwal has revealed that out of the seven deaths, two deaths were reported to be of children below five years of age and five deaths were of children above five years of age.

It came to light during investigations that prima facie, the probable cause of outbreak could be the unhygienic conditions and illegal drinking water pipe connections that led to contamination of drinking water.

However, the final cause of deaths among these children can only be determined after completion of epidemiological investigation.

Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajeev Arora said information regarding suspected fever deaths among children in Chilli and Chilla was received by the district health authorities, Palwal. In order to assess the ground situation, District Rapid Response Team was activated by Civil Surgeon, Palwal, and sent to the affected area.

Arora said the outbreak started on September 9. The team visited the affected area on September 12 to investigate the outbreak and household survey was done wherever deaths were reported.

Meanwhile, as per the laboratory findings of the area, 175 malaria blood slides, 250 RDT malaria test reports, 12 dengue ELISA samples, 64 RT-PCR Covid tests and 50 Covid antigen test have come out negative.

Leaking pipe found

Officials found a leakage in a pipeline of drinking water and public health officers have been instructed to repair it at the earliest.

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