Diarrhoea outbreak ravages Patiala village, 160 people fall sick

Karam Prakash

Patiala, June 22

Around 160 people — including children and women — have fallen sick at Jhill village in Patiala district due to a diarrhoea outbreak.Of 160, around 20 had to be hospitalised. This is the second major diarrhoea outbreak in the district over the past seven days. Last week, around 200 people had fallen sick at Shamdo camp in Rajpura, wherein, three lives were lost.

Patiala Civil Surgeon Dr Raju Dhir said that as soon as the health department got the information, they swung into action and started door-to-door screening. A medical camp is also being held there and patients are provided with ORS and chlorine tablets, said Dr Raju Dhir. He added that he himself was continuously monitoring admitted patients

Dr Divjot Singh, district epidemiologist, said that they had already collected eight water samples from the different households. Three stool samples of the diarrhoea patients were also collected, Divjot informed. He said, “Our teams are camping at the outbreak site. Water tankers have been parked there at the village for an alternate water supply. “

Villagers alleged that contaminated water was being supplied in the village, which allegedly led to the diarrhoea outbreak. Sewak Singh Jhill, Municipal Councillor of the area, who has also been admitted to a private hospital, said, “I had already informed the concerned officers, a few days ago, to clean the overhead water tank. I don’t know why did the Municipal Corporation ignored my complaints.”

It was only after the people started complaining of contaminated water supply, the direct supply from the submersible pump was supplied to the village. On Wednesday, MC Officials, after the health department arrived in the village, cleaned the overhead water tank.

Aaditya Uppal, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Patiala said, “We have already cleaned the overhead tank in the village. We have also collected water samples from the village.”

He added that all the overhead water tanks in the district would be cleaned in the coming days.

Patiala Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, said, “An inquiry has already been ordered. Besides, XEN has been issued show cause notice. Water supply from overhead tank has been disconnected and water supply is being directly provided from the tubewell.”