Kapurthala civic body swings into action to tackle diarrhoea outbreak

Aparna Banerji

Advertisement

Jalandhar, July 29

After death of four persons reportedly due to Diarrhoea outbreak in Sunder Nagar of Kapurthala in the past one week, the civic body toiled all night to plug leaks in water pipes and removed garbage from several spots.

Yesterday, Local Bodies Minister Balkar Singh and Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh had a verbal spat over the issue.

Death toll reaches 5

• A 70-year-old woman died of diarrhoea on Monday
• The vicitm was a resident of Saido Bhalana in Kapurthala
• She was admitted to the civil hospital for the past two days
• She is the first victim from outside Sunder Nagar

A 42-year-old patient from Sheikho Mohalla in Kapurthala was tested positive for cholera on Monday. Diarrhoea outbreak is under control now. Only 13 patients are admitted to the Kapurthala Civil Hospital. Dr Surinder Kaur, Civil Surgeon

While a new patient tested positive for cholera today, two patients admitted to a hospital earlier were discharged. The Health Department said Gurbachan Singh, who passed away on Sunday, died due to fever and not diarrhoea.

The Health Department also set up a makeshift hospital near Sunder Nagar to cater to the patients on a priority basis.

A team of Chief Engineers was pressed into service to carry out the repair works immediately.

The MC teams plugged three leaks ndash; suspected to have contaminated water ndash; yesterday and set up special chlorinated jet pumps with dozers at Sunder Nagar.

After restoration of water supply for an hour on a temporary basis today, the MC and health teams collected water samples, which have been sent to labs in Ludhiana and Kharar for testing. The authorities collected samples from 120 households and 118 manholes were inspected to check contamination. A total of 20 tankers have been made available to supply potable water.

Civil Surgeon Dr Surinder Kaur said, “A 42-year-old patient from Sheikho Mohalla in Kapurthala was tested positive for cholera today. Diarrhoea outbreak is under control now. Only 13 patients are admitted to the Kapurthala Civil Hospital. The patient suffering from cholera is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Jalandhar.”