Suspected Diarrhoea Toll Rises To Six In Odisha’s Rayagada

Rayagada: Diarrhoea is back to haunt Kashipur block of Odisha’s Rayagada district where six persons have died of the water-borne disease in the last three days.

Several others have been reportedly affected by the disease and undergoing treatment at Tikiri and Kashipur hospitals.

Among the deceased, Dhoba Majhi (36) of Tikiri village and Sabita Naik (40) of Dudukabahal village developed diarrhoea symptoms and died on Thursday, while four others – Sarojini Jhodia (30), Anj Jhodia (18), Rajni Jhodia (19) and Kenny Majhi (56), who was undergoing treatment a the district headquarters hospital, – succumbed to the disease on Friday.

At least 14 seriously ill people have been admitted to the district hospital, while 25 people are being treated in two health centers of Kashipur in Tikiri. Apart from this, one patient was shifted to SLN Medical College, Koraput after his condition deteriorated.

On Friday, four persons of Dudukabahal village were brought to Kashipur CHC but two patients had to be shifted to Rayagada hospital as their condition deteriorated.

The water-borne disease is believed to have started from Maliguda village due to consumption of contaminated water and soon spread to Dudukabahal, Tikiri, Gobrighati, Routghati and Jalakhura. The situation is quite alarming in Dangasil, Renga, Hadiguda, Maikanch, Sankarada, Tikri and Kuchipadar areas of Kashipur block where scores of people are reportedly down with diarrhoea, sources further said.

A special health team led by additional medical and public health officer V Loknath Raju visited the affected villages and treated those with suspected diarrhoea. Anganwadi workers have been mobilised to the affected areas to stabilise the situation.

CDMO Dr Lalmohan Routray informed that the medical found the water of an open well to have been infected and the Collector has been asked to arrange for an alternate water source.

Notably, Kashipur block reports deaths due to water-borne diseases every year. Over 100 people had died of diarrhoea in 2008 while cholera had claimed as many lives in 2010.