In response to a sudden diarrhoea outbreak in Jajpur district, Aswathy S. (IAS), Commissioner and Secretary of the Health Department, visited the district today to assess the situation and review treatment measures.
The visit included a high-level meeting with key officials, including District Collector P. Anwesha Reddy, Additional District Collector Yudhishthir Nayak, Chief District Medical Officer Dr. Prakash Chandra Bal, and representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO), among others.
The meeting focused on identifying the causes of the outbreak, evaluating healthcare facilities, and ensuring timely interventions. Health Secy Aswathy revealed that a state-level team, including doctors from SCB Medical College, has been deployed, alongside a specialised team comprising experts from IDSP, WHO, ICMR, and the Government of India’s Regional Directorate. This team has been inspecting affected villages and panchayats since morning and will continue investigations tomorrow.
As of this evening, five deaths have been reported due to the outbreak, with 622 initial hospital admissions, followed by 303 additional cases. However, only 37 new cases were reported today, signalling a potential decline in infections. Currently, 285 patients are under treatment across various hospitals in the district.
To reach vulnerable areas, mobile health units will begin operations tomorrow morning to identify and treat patients unable to access hospitals. If the number of cases rises, additional teams from outside the district will be mobilised. Disinfection efforts are underway, led by a joint team from the Health and Panchayati Raj Departments, with one supervisor assigned per panchayat. District Collector P. Anwesha Reddy will personally oversee these efforts.
With schools reopening next week, water sources will be disinfected to prevent further spread. Water, food, and stool samples have been collected for analysis, with results pending to pinpoint the outbreak’s cause.
The Health Secretary urged residents to consume purified water and confirmed that ASHA workers, health workers, and ANMs will conduct awareness campaigns in rural areas. The state government has pledged full support to the district administration to manage the crisis effectively.
