Disease Surveillance

Odisha’s Jajpur district is grappling with a major health concern as five deaths have been reported due to a diarrhoea outbreak, with over 1,500 people affected since early May. Adding to the concern, health authorities confirmed on Saturday that multiple cases of cholera have now also been detected in the district, prompting the Central government to dispatch expert teams to assess the situation on the ground. Officials reported that out of 200 collected samples, 11 tested positive for Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium responsible for cholera. However, the infections appear to be sporadic and not concentrated in any particular locality. Responding to the health crisis, the Jajpur district administration has taken strict measures, including cancelling all Raja festival holidays for government employees from June 14 to 16. Community feasts, a common festive practice, have also been banned to curb the spread. “All district offices will remain functional, and staff may be called upon as needed,” stated the district collector’s directive. Although the number of hospital admissions has declined since Friday, the state remains on high alert. “A total of 1,516 diarrhoea cases have been admitted since May 9. Out of these, 1,306 have recovered and 210 are under treatment,” said Dr. Nilakantha Mishra, Director of Public Health. Three central teams—comprising 14 experts—have been dispatched to Jajpur. These include a seven-member medical team from the Directorate General of Health Services, a three-member food safety inspection group, and a four-member special team from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Their mandate includes assessing health risks, identifying causes, and advising both state and central authorities on effective containment and prevention strategies. Local health officials suspect that the outbreak originated from the consumption of contaminated water at community gatherings. “We’re disinfecting water sources, collecting samples from street food vendors, and even testing water from tube wells,” said Jajpur’s CDMO Dr. Bijay Mishra. Senior health officials, including NRHM Director Dr. Brunda D and Special Secretary Bijay Mohapatra, visited affected areas for an on-the-ground review. Additional CDMO Dr. Prakash Chandra Bal confirmed that one more person had died due to diarrhoea on Friday, raising the total fatalities to five. In a broader preventive push, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja has directed neighbouring districts to remain vigilant. He ordered intensified sanitation drives to be completed within 10 days and emphasized robust action against a wider set of seasonal threats like jaundice, malaria, and dengue, in addition to diarrhoea and cholera. Ahuja further instructed health officials to increase the capacity of government hospitals, ensure medicine availability, conduct household surveys, and deploy mobile health units for community awareness. The aim, he stressed, is a proactive and targeted approach to controlling the outbreak and preventing further escalation. Source: PTI