In a remote village in Odisha’s Koraput district, fear has taken hold as an unidentified disease claims lives and leaves residents desperate for answers.
Odapur village, under the Dasamantapur block’s Paika Phulabeda panchayat, has reported five deaths and seven hospitalisations in the past week, with symptoms including severe diarrhoea and vomiting.
The deceased include Jambabati Gouda (40), Mahendra Gouda (30), Rajesh Gouda (37), Naina Gouda (50), and Khagabati Gouda (50). The seven others are receiving treatment at Koraput’s Sahid Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital.
The outbreak has plunged the village into panic, with residents turning to traditional rituals alongside medical intervention. A mobile health team, led by District Health Officer R.N. Mishra, visited Odapur on Sunday to investigate.
Preliminary observations point to contaminated water as a possible cause, as the village relies on a single functional tubewell and nearby streams for drinking water. The second tubewell lies defunct, exacerbating the risk.
Health workers have collected water, food, and garbage samples to pinpoint the source, while ASHA and Anganwadi workers are conducting door-to-door health checks and sensitising residents.
Adding to the tension, some villagers have sought help from local ‘dishari’ (traditional healers), who have begun performing rituals to ward off what they believe could be a supernatural calamity.
“Medical treatment is ongoing, but people are still dying. We fear something ominous,” said a dishari, reflecting the community’s deep-rooted beliefs. The rituals, rooted in tribal traditions, have drawn attention from neighbouring areas, where fear of the disease spreading is growing.
District Additional Public Health Officer Muktikanta Khatua provided some clarity, noting that one victim had kidney issues, another had consumed toxic alcohol, and others may have suffered from food poisoning. “Samples have been collected, and we’re closely monitoring the situation. The exact cause will be clear once reports come in,” Khatua said.
For now, the health department remains on high alert, balancing scientific investigation with the community’s reliance on traditional practices. As Odapur awaits answers, the tragedy underscores the urgent need for improved water infrastructure and healthcare access in rural Odisha.
