Key Points

"Upon receipt of reports from the Jajpur district regarding people affected with diarrhoea getting admitted to hospitals, we have constituted a state-level multi-sectoral team comprising doctors, microbiologists, food safety inspectors and sent them to Jajpur. They have already reached there and started an investigation to find out the cause of the outbreak," said health department secretary, Aswathy S.

She also added that additional teams of doctors have been sent to the district for treatment of patients admitted to the Jajpur District Headquarters Hospital and other peripheral hospitals.

The Director of Public Health Services, Nilaknatha Mishra, has also rushed to the district to ensure coordinated efforts by all the stakeholders to rein in the sudden outbreak of diarrhoea in different parts of Jajpur district.

As per an official statement of the health department, different teams are in action in the affected and surrounding areas of Dharmashala, Vyasanagar municipality, Danagadi, Rasulpur and Korei blocks of Jajpur district.

The state and district teams in convergence are monitoring the ground situation closely.

The director of Public Health services said that all patients and sporadic cases in adjoining places are being quickly attended to by rapid action teams constituted at district level.

He along with two Rapid Action Teams consisting of medical officers, microbiologists, epidemiologists, Joint Director integrated disease surveillance programme from state level have reached the area; and have started field operation in coordination with the Jajpur Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer.

"Specialists from Maharaja Jajati Keshari Medical College and hospital in Jajpur are looking into treatment of the critical cases. Six medicine specialists from SCB, Medical college and hospital in Cuttack have also been deputed to the district. The infected people have been admitted in Dharmashala, Jajpur Road, and Danagadi Community Health Centres and Jajpur District Headquarters Hospital. The critical patients are also being treated at SCB Medical College and hospital, Cuttack," said the state Health department.

It also added that hospitals in the districts have been equipped with additional manpower, sufficient medicines, saline fluids, injections, etc, to combat the disease.

The Superintendent of SCB Medical College has been asked to remain alert about proper treatment of the referral cases.

"The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation teams are working for disinfection of the drinking water sources. Food inspecting teams and disease surveillance teams are working at the ground level to combat water-borne disease. The grassroot level service providers like health sub-centres, ASHA Karmies, AWC karmies and multi-purpose health workers have been supplied with halogen tablets, medicines, ORS packets and awareness materials for distribution among the people," the department noted.

The state government has advised the people to take all precautionary measures, such as avoid outside foods, drink safe water, and adhere to hygienic practices.

As per the Jajpur district administration, more than 200 patients have been admitted to different hospitals of the district during the past two days while two persons from Jajpur district and one from Anandpur in Keonjhar district have died till now.

- IANS